US Citizenship and Immigration Service says: "On June 15, 2012, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that certain people who came to the United States as children and meet several guidelines may request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal. They are also eligible for work authorization. Deferred action is a use of prosecutorial discretion to defer removal action against an individual for a certain period of time. Deferred action does not provide lawful status."*

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At the Law Office of Justin Tullius we aim to help our clients advance and defend their right to legally travel to, live in, and stay in the United States. The recent news about DACA and the frequently changing rules are confusing for so many. We can help. Below is a summary of the current DACA news and how we can help you!

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Three years ago, the government stopped accepting first-time DACA applications  

 

In 2017, the Trump administration tried to end the DACA program. Courts ordered that the government to keep accepting DACA renewals, but the government was allowed to stop accepting any new DACA applications.  

 

Since 2017, people who already had DACA could renew, but no one could apply for DACA for the first time. 

 

This summer, Dreamers beat the Trump administration in the courts ! 

 

On June 20 the Supreme Court decided that the Trump administration had tried to end DACA in an illegal way. This meant that the DACA program would go back to how it had been in 2017 - with renewals, first-time DACAs, and and applications for advance parole allowed.

 

It has not been clear when the government would start accepting applications for first-time DACA   

In July, a federal court ordered the Trump administration to roll the clock back to 2017 and as of now,  the government is required to accept initial DACA applications now. 

 

In 2017, the government also stopped accepting another kind of application: advance parole. Advance parole was a permission that DACA recipients could request to leave the US without losing their DACA, and return legally.  Like initial DACA applications, the government is also required to start accepting advance parole – now 

 

We still don’t know what the new application process will look like for initial applications and for advance parole.  Being informed about your individual situation before you decide what steps to take is critical to staying safe.  

Everyone's individual circumstances are different. At the Law Office of Justin Tullius we try and approach each case with a view to the whole person or the whole family situation.This is why the consultation is so important.  There are still risks and costs with applying for DACA for the first time. And there will be significant risks in traveling outside the country even with advance parole. Anyone considering applying should have an in-depth consultation to fully understand their legal situation and the risks and benefits.  

  

For those who qualify and choose to apply, we are preparing first-time DACA applications now. This month, we are offering DACA consultations free of charge. Click here to schedule now! 

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Every client is different. Every case is different. To best help our clients we need to know more. Take our questionnaire to learn more about your qualifications and let us know a bit more about you. Also find guidance on how to prepare for your consultation, what documents and information to gather so we can get to work for you.

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The fight for DACA continues and things are changing daily. Below are some resources to learn more from our attorneys and community leaders and partners. 

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United We Dream : UWD is the first & largest immigrant youth-led organization in the nation. 

Check out their "Top 5 Things You Need to Know" about the latest DACA news. Follow them on Social Media

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Texas Here to Stay: Texas Here to Stay is a coalition of immigrant legal services providers and advocacy groups dedicated to strengthening our diverse community by ensuring access to legal information and services for all immigrants.  https://texasheretostay.com/

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UTSA Dreamers Resouces Center - https://www.utsa.edu/dreamers/ 

Alamo Colleges -  https://www.alamo.edu/district/daca/ 

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Our Attorney Justin Tullius speaks with United We Dream about DACA