In January 2018 I wrote a blog about a federal judge in California blocking the Trump administration's efforts to end DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program). On February 13, 2018 a second federal judge issued a temporary block to the end of DACA. According to the current timeline, the DACA program is set to end on March 5, 2018. The ruling by these two judges has temporarily block the end of DACA and opened the door for current DACA recipients to apply to renew their DACA status until the legal challenges to rescinding DACA are settled. Renewals were suspended on October 5, 2017 following the September 5, 2017 rescission of DACA. This will very likely allow DACA recipients to continue to apply for renewal past the March 5, 2018 looming deadline.
The U.S. Justice Department has appealed the lower court decision to block the end of DACA and requested that the Supreme Court take up the appeal rather than having it heard through the regular federal appeals courts process. This effort to skip the appeals court and speed up the Justice Department's appeal has been rejected by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court could still hear the case, but it appears it prefers that one or more appeals courts weigh in on the ruling blocking the end of DACA first.
For more information about the Supreme Courts decision click here.
For more information about DACA, check out these other blogs here, here, and here. And for access to a free DACA Information letter (available in English and Spanish) to use with parents and your community, click here.
