DACA Renewals, Los Angeles Area

Guidelines for Approval

It’s been two years since President Obama introduced a new immigration policy known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). On that pivotal day in June 2012, the president announced that undocumented youth who had arrived in the United States as children would be allowed to remain and work temporarily under the new DACA program.

Click Here For: February 2018 DACA Renewal Update
Click Here For: Legal Options for DACA Recipients to Avoid Deportation

By the end of 2013, nearly 522,000 requests for DACA were approved and nearly 16,000 were denied. The biggest group of DACA recipients were born in Mexico while much smaller groups of recipients were born in Honduras, Guatemala, Peru, South Korea and 16 other countries.

What Happens if You Don’t Apply for DACA Renewal?

After your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) expires, you won’t be able to work legally in the US. And after your DACA expires, you’ll be back in the same position you were in before the DACA policy was introduced. You’ll be living under the constant threat of deportation should you be picked up by immigration authorities.

DACA Renewal Guidelines

The DACA Renewal policy gives you the opportunity to renew your two-year deportation reprieve and work permit for another two years if you qualify.
Released in February 2014, the new guidelines apply exclusively to DACA recipients who were granted DACA status through U.S. Customs and Immigration Services before August 15, 2012 while they were in detention or in removal proceedings. Guidelines for those granted DACA after August 15, 2012 have not yet been released

In order to qualify for DACA renewal, undocumented youth must meet several of the requirements of the original DACA program:

• AGE
  Must have been under the age of 31 on June 15, 2012 and must have entered the U.S. before age 16 and continuously lived in the U.S. since June 15, 2007.
• EDUCATION
  As a DACA recipient, you must meet one of the following requirements: a) Graduate of a U.S. high school or earned a G.E.D. (General Equivalency Degree); b) Enrolled in school, or c) Honorably discharged from the U.S. Coast Guard or Armed Forces

You will not qualify for renewal if you have a felony conviction, a significant misdemeanor, or three or more other misdemeanors during your deferred action period.

DACA Renewal Application Process

You may apply for DACA renewal beginning 120 days before the expiration dates on your current DACA and employment authorization document (EAD).

Decisions Are Final

U.S. Customs and Immigration Services makes DACA Renewal decisions on a case-by-case basis, and all decisions are final. If you are denied renewal, you don’t have the right to contest the decision. You can’t file a motion to reopen or reconsider nor can you file an appeal.

A Word of Caution

Don’t underestimate the difficulty of preparing your DACA Renewal application. A negative decision means you will no longer be able to work legally in the U.S. And, once again, you face possible deportation.

Protect yourself from these terrible consequences. Call (818) 244-0310 today and seek the advice of immigration experts at Nalbandian Law, an experienced law firm in the Los Angeles metro area. Your DACA Renewal process will have greater success because we know exactly what USCIS is looking for in a winning application. Our attorney will review your case and determine if you qualify for DACA renewal. If you do, our careful preparation and thorough documentation will ensure you have the best possible chance of success.