Immigration Reform Updates: What happened with the new DACA and DAPA
Author: New York Immigration lawyer Alena Shautsova
On November 20, 2014, President Obama announced a series of measures that are supposed to improve the current immigration system. Among them were the new DACA and DAPA. The USCIS was supposed to start accepting applications for the new DACA on February 18, 2015.
However, on February 18, 2015, a Federal Judge from Texas granted application to temporary stop the implementation of the program. As a result, the reform is “frozen” for now.
While the old DACA is still running, the applications for new DACA with the more lenient requirements are not being accepted. The government tried to convenience the judge to lift the ban but it did not work, and now the government is appealing the judge’s order at the Federal Court of higher level.
What is going to happen next? My prediction is that eventually the ban will be lifted and the applications the USCIS will start to accept applications. It is just a shame that the time will be wasted and millions of those waiting for the change have to depend on political game that leaves without consideration lives of those who help to build this country.