Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

On June 15, 2012, President Obama signed a memo calling for deferred action for certain undocumented young people who came to the U.S. as children and have pursued education or military service here. Applications under the program which is called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”) begin on August 15, 2012.

People under DACA are eligible for work authorization. According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “Deferred action is a use of prosecutorial discretion to defer removal action against an individual for a certain period of time.”

Watch a short video on DACA


We put together the following FAQ to help answer questions about what this all means, who is eligible, and what eligible youth can do next.

  • What does “deferred action” mean?
  • Who is eligible for DACA relief?
  • What is a significant misdemeanor?
  • How old do I have to be to apply for deferred action?
  • I am not currently in school, but would like to re-enroll in high school. Could I qualify?
  • What types of school qualify under the DACA program?
  • Will a brief interruption in the requirement to be in the U.S. continuously from June 15, 2007 to July 15, 2012 affect my eligibility for deferred action?
    Where and how do I apply for deferred action?
  • What forms will I need to submit?
  • How much does it cost to seek DACA?
  • What if I can’t pay the fees?
  • If I am granted deferred action, will I be entitled to work?
  • If I am granted deferred action, does that mean I have acquired legal status?
  • If I am granted deferred action can I travel outside the United States?
  • If my application for deferred action is denied, can I file an appeal?
  • Is there any risk in applying for deferred action?
  • Is the passing of the DREAM Act still necessary?
  • How can I get more information?

More on Deferred action for Childhood Arrivals:

For more information on deferred action for childhood arrivals visit uscis.gov.On June 15, 2012, President Obama signed a memo calling for deferred action for certain undocumented young people who came to the U.S. as children and have pursued education or military service here. Applications under the program which is called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”) begin on August 15, 2012.

We put together the following FAQ to help answer questions about what this all means, who is eligible, and what eligible youth can do next:

  • What does “deferred action” mean?
  • Who is eligible for DACA relief?
  • What is a significant misdemeanor?
  • How old do I have to be to apply for deferred action?
  • I am not currently in school, but would like to re-enroll in high school. Could I qualify?
  • What types of school qualify under the DACA program?
  • Will a brief interruption in the requirement to be in the U.S. continuously from June 15, 2007 to July 15, 2012 affect my eligibility for deferred action?
    Where and how do I apply for deferred action?
  • What forms will I need to submit?
  • How much does it cost to seek DACA?
  • What if I can’t pay the fees?
  • If I am granted deferred action, will I be entitled to work?
  • If I am granted deferred action, does that mean I have acquired legal status?
  • If I am granted deferred action can I travel outside the United States?
  • If my application for deferred action is denied, can I file an appeal?
  • Is there any risk in applying for deferred action?
  • Is the passing of the DREAM Act still necessary?
  • How can I get more information?

Read more at the following DACA article:

For more information on deferred action for childhood arrivals visit uscis.gov.

top criminal attorneys in san antonio
San Marcos Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Justia
Avvo logo
Expertise Award for Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in San Antonio 2020