DHS Memo Makes Immediate Changes to DACA Program

Today DHS Acting Secretary Chad Wolf has issued a memo, “Reconsideration of the June 15, 2012 Memorandum Entitled ‘Exercising Prosecutorial Discretion with Respect to Individuals Who Came to the United States as Children’” in response to the Supreme Court DACA decision in June 2020. While the Acting Secretary is pending reconsideration of the DACA policy, today’s memo states DHS will make the following “immediate changes” to DACA:

• reject all pending and future initial requests for DACA;

• reject all pending and future applications for advance parole absent exceptional circumstances; and

• shorten DACA renewals and the accompanying work authorization to 1 year, rather than a 2-year period.

To read DHS’ memo in its entirety, please click here.

By: Kristina M. Hernandez