My de facto niece is writing a high school speech about de facto Americans, and she asked me for some of the basic criteria. Here is a link to my historic column, “Who is a Dreamer?”, which outlines the original qualifications for obtaining DACA deferral and the requisite employment authorization:
At this time, new DACA applications are no longer being accepted, but USCIS is still accepting renewals for certain DACA recipients. Litigation on this issue is ongoing– not to mention Congressional discussion and activity–so it’s important to check the latest status with USCIS directly, and also with active organizations such as the Penn State law school. Here are two important links to keep you updated. First, the official government response to the January reinstatement of DACA by a US federal court:
And, next, a memo from the Penn State Law Center for Immigrants’ Rights Clinic, a go-to source to keep up with the latest on DACA:
Finally, if you yourself are a de facto American, remember that this blog post should not be substituted for the individual advice of a qualified attorney, non-profit organization or accredited representative.