Lea esta historia en español.

For more than a decade the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, enacted in 2012, has been the sole opportunity for children of immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally to gain some sort of legal status in the U.S. 

Houston has thefourth-largest DACA population in the country, according to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. The uncertainty faced by Dreamers – those who could benefit from this program – to build a life in the U.S. are only partially addressed by DACA. But the program itselfcontinues to face legal challenges and so do the individuals who rely on it to work and continue to build a life in the country. 

Here are the basics of its history, who it protects and its current challenges. 

What is DACA and how did it come to exist?

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program was launched in 2012 by the Obama administration after theDREAM Act – a proposed legislation to permanently protect certain immigrants who came to the U.S. as children – failed to pass both Houses of Congress. 

DACA offers two-year work permits and relief from deportation for undocumented immigrants who were brought to the country as children. 

DACA was established by President Barack Obama as an executive order and has faced legal challenges since inception. Possible applicants also had doubts about the program as it launched, questioning whether the government could use their disclosure of being undocumented against them if the program ever went away or if they didn’t get approved. 

Is DACA still active?

Although at risk, the program is still active and protecting an estimated 538,000 Dreamers nationwide, about 90,000 of them are in Texas, and about27,000 are Houstonians. 

At its peak, the program protected as many as 825,000 out of an estimated 1.2 million eligible individuals. 

Active DACA permits are still enforced, according to theU.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, and recipients are able to submit their renewal applications. Advocates suggest renewing at least six months ahead of expiration. 

New applications can also be submitted, but due to thelatest legal challenge spearheaded by Texas, there is no say on when these will be reviewed or approved. 

What are the program’s requirements?

• Applicants must have entered the U.S. before their 16th birthday.
• Must have been living in the U.S. and under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012.
• They must have continuously resided in the U.S. since June 15, 2007. 
• Must have no legal status at the moment of application and physically present in the U.S.
• They must be enrolled in school, have graduated high school or obtained a GED certificate, or they must have been honorably discharged from the military. 
• They must have no felony convictions, no significant misdemeanors or three or more misdemeanors, and not pose a threat to national security or public safety. 

How much does a DACA permit cost?

Fees to apply for or renew a DACA permit increased as of April 1, 2024. Those who are applying for the first time or renewing must pay $550 online or $605 on paper. 

Those renewing on paper two separate payments in the form of a check or money order; one of$85 for the form I-821D and a$520 payment for the form I-765.

DACA applicants can also apply for anAdvance Parole permit to travel outside the U.S. and return lawfully. The cost of this application also increased to $630 in 2024. 

What are the challenges?

The program has faced legal challenges  since its inception. One of the most pressing challenges voiced by advocates, however, is the lack of a permanent solution for DACA recipients who face the possibility of their applications being revoked or the program ending at any moment. 

The program acknowledges that many of these individuals know no other home but the U.S. They’ve grown up here, studied here and aim to legally contribute to the economy. In Houston,DACA recipients payan estimated $246 million in federal taxes and $136 million in state and local taxes. 

Yet there hasn’t been a solution to figure out how these individuals can move forward to acquire permanent residency and citizenship. 

In its most recent lawsuit, Texas officials claim the program costs the state about $700 million annually in social services such as healthcare. But advocates point out that by having a legal permit to work, DACA-protected individuals  create and hold jobs that outweigh these costs. 

In 2021, the Center for American Progress, a nonpartisan public policy research and advocacy organization,found that individuals under DACA contribute $6.2 billion in federal taxes annually and about $3.3 billion to state and local taxes. 

In Texas, DACA households pay about $783 million in federal taxes and $437 million in state and local. They also hold a spending power of $3.7 billion across the state, according to CAP.

The age of the program is also a challenge since it has not been fully updated since its inception in 2012. Applicants must submit documentation to prove their continuous stay in the U.S. dating back to 2007, making the burden of proof heavier with every year.  

The number of DACA-eligible individuals outweighs the number of those currently protected by it. In Texas there’s anestimated 208,000 eligible individuals and less than half of them are protected under the program, according to data issued by the Migration Policy Institute. 

What’s next?

Based on thelatest January 2025 ruling on the Texas-led lawsuit, current DACA recipients will continue to be protected and able to apply for renewal. But the future of the program, especially in Texas, remains uncertain. 

The judge ruled that any permanent changes to the program as an outcome of the lawsuit should be limited to the state due to it being the only one with proof of some sort of damage. But some Texas lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Houston) have vowed to try to move a new Dream Act forward in this legislative session. 

Updates on the latest court decisions and any possible changes to the program can be found in theU.S. Citizen and Immigration Services website. 

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What is DACA? These are the basics of the program

by Danya Pérez, Houston Landing
February 20, 2025

<h1>What is DACA? These are the basics of the program</h1><p class="byline">by Danya Pérez, Houston Landing <br />February 20, 2025</p><p><em><a href="https://houstonlanding.org/que-es-daca-estos-son-los-fundamentos-de-un-programa-que-protege-a-miles-en-houston/">Lea esta historia en español.</a></em> </p><p>For more than a decade the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, enacted in 2012, has been the sole opportunity for children of immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally to gain some sort of legal status in the U.S.&nbsp;</p><p>Houston has the <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/data/active_daca_recipients_fy2024_q1.xlsx">fourth-largest DACA population in the country</a>, according to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. The uncertainty faced by Dreamers – those who could benefit from this program – to build a life in the U.S. are only partially addressed by DACA. But the program itself <a href="https://houstonlanding.org/wondering-whats-next-for-daca-heres-what-the-latest-court-ruling-says/">continues to face legal challenges</a> and so do the individuals who rely on it to work and continue to build a life in the country.&nbsp;</p><p>Here are the basics of its history, who it protects and its current challenges.&nbsp;</p><h2>What is DACA and how did it come to exist?</h2><p>The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program was launched in 2012 by the Obama administration after the <a href="https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/dream-act-overview">DREAM Act</a> – a proposed legislation to permanently protect certain immigrants who came to the U.S. as children – failed to pass both Houses of Congress.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://www.uscis.gov/DACA">DACA offers two-year work permits</a> and relief from deportation for undocumented immigrants who were brought to the country as children.&nbsp;</p><p>DACA was established by President Barack Obama as an executive order and has faced legal challenges since inception. Possible applicants also had doubts about the program as it launched, questioning whether the government could use their disclosure of being undocumented against them if the program ever went away or if they didn’t get approved.&nbsp;</p><h2>Is DACA still active?</h2><p>Although at risk, the program is still active and protecting an estimated 538,000 Dreamers nationwide, about 90,000 of them are in Texas, and about <a href="https://houstonlanding.org/from-the-dynamo-payroll-to-the-sidelines-one-houston-mans-story-of-dacas-high-stakes-limbo/">27,000 are Houstonians</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>At its peak, the program protected as many as 825,000 out of an estimated 1.2 million eligible individuals.&nbsp;</p><p>Active DACA permits are still enforced, according to the <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/DACA">U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services</a>, and recipients are able to submit their renewal applications. Advocates suggest renewing at least six months ahead of expiration.&nbsp;</p><p>New applications can also be submitted, but due to the <a href="https://houstonlanding.org/wondering-whats-next-for-daca-heres-what-the-latest-court-ruling-says/">latest legal challenge spearheaded by Texas</a>, there is no say on when these will be reviewed or approved.&nbsp;</p><h3>What are the program’s requirements?</h3><ul><li>Applicants must have entered the U.S. before their 16th birthday.</li><li>Must have been living in the U.S. and under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012.</li><li>They must have continuously resided in the U.S. since June 15, 2007.&nbsp;</li><li>Must have no legal status at the moment of application and physically present in the U.S.</li><li>They must be enrolled in school, have graduated high school or obtained a GED certificate, or they must have been honorably discharged from the military.&nbsp;</li><li>They must have no felony convictions, no significant misdemeanors or three or more misdemeanors, and not pose a threat to national security or public safety.&nbsp;</li></ul><h2>How much does a DACA permit cost?</h2><p>Fees to apply for or renew a DACA permit increased as of April 1, 2024. Those who are applying for the first time or renewing must pay $550 online or $605 on paper.&nbsp;</p><p>Those renewing on paper two separate payments in the form of a check or money order; one of <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/g-1055?form=i-821d">$85 for the form I-821D</a> and a <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/g-1055?form=i-765">$520 payment for the form I-765</a>.</p><p>DACA applicants can also apply for an <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/i-131">Advance Parole permit to travel outside the U.S.</a> and return lawfully. The cost of this application also increased to $630 in 2024.&nbsp;</p><h2>What are the challenges?</h2><p>The program has faced legal challenges&nbsp; since its inception. One of the most pressing challenges voiced by advocates, however, is the lack of a permanent solution for DACA recipients who face the possibility of their applications being revoked or the program ending at any moment.&nbsp;</p><p>The program acknowledges that many of these individuals know no other home but the U.S. They’ve grown up here, studied here and aim to legally contribute to the economy. In Houston, <a href="https://everytexan.org/2022/09/29/celebrating-a-decade-of-daca-in-texas/#:~:text=Texas%20DACA%20recipients%20annually%20contribute,and%20state%20public%20benefits%20programs.">DACA recipients pay </a>an estimated $246 million in federal taxes and $136 million in state and local taxes.&nbsp;</p><p>Yet there hasn’t been a solution to figure out how these individuals can move forward to acquire permanent residency and citizenship.&nbsp;</p><p>In its most recent lawsuit, Texas officials claim the program costs the state about $700 million annually in social services such as healthcare. But advocates point out that by having a legal permit to work, DACA-protected individuals&nbsp; create and hold jobs that outweigh these costs.&nbsp;</p><p>In 2021, the Center for American Progress, a nonpartisan public policy research and advocacy organization, <a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-demographic-and-economic-impacts-of-daca-recipients-fall-2021-edition/">found that individuals under DACA contribute $6.2 billion</a> in federal taxes annually and about $3.3 billion to state and local taxes.&nbsp;</p><p>In Texas, DACA households pay about $783 million in federal taxes and $437 million in state and local. They also hold a spending power of $3.7 billion across the state, according to CAP.</p><p>The age of the program is also a challenge since it has not been fully updated since its inception in 2012. Applicants must submit documentation to prove their continuous stay in the U.S. dating back to 2007, making the burden of proof heavier with every year.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The number of DACA-eligible individuals outweighs the number of those currently protected by it. In Texas there’s an <a href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/data-hub/deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca-profiles">estimated 208,000 eligible individuals</a> and less than half of them are protected under the program, according to data issued by the Migration Policy Institute.&nbsp;</p><h2>What’s next?</h2><p>Based on the <a href="https://houstonlanding.org/wondering-whats-next-for-daca-heres-what-the-latest-court-ruling-says/">latest January 2025 ruling on the Texas-led lawsuit</a>, current DACA recipients will continue to be protected and able to apply for renewal. But the future of the program, especially in Texas, remains uncertain.&nbsp;</p><p>The judge ruled that any permanent changes to the program as an outcome of the lawsuit should be limited to the state due to it being the only one with proof of some sort of damage. But some Texas lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Houston) have vowed to try to move a new Dream Act forward in this legislative session.&nbsp;</p><p>Updates on the latest court decisions and any possible changes to the program can be found in the <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/DACA">U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services</a> website.&nbsp;</p><p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://houstonlanding.org/what-is-daca-these-are-the-basics-of-the-program/&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; first appeared on &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://houstonlanding.org&quot;&gt;Houston Landing&lt;/a&gt; and is republished here under a &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/&quot;&gt;Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;img src=&quot;https://houstonlanding.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/cropped-Frame-5-2-150x150.png?crop=1&quot; style=&quot;width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;&quot;&gt;&lt;img id=&quot;republication-tracker-tool-source&quot; src=&quot;https://houstonlanding.org/?republication-pixel=true&amp;post=49672&amp;amp;ga4=G-4E41V78RX3&quot; style=&quot;width:1px;height:1px;&quot;&gt;&lt;script&gt; PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: &quot;https://houstonlanding.org/what-is-daca-these-are-the-basics-of-the-program/&quot;, urlref: window.location.href }); } } &lt;/script&gt; &lt;script id=&quot;parsely-cfg&quot; src=&quot;//cdn.parsely.com/keys/houstonlanding.org/p.js&quot;&gt;&lt;/script&gt;</p>Copy to Clipboard

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