SerpApi.Org
Immigrant rights groups said they have been forced to sue the Trump administration due to an excess of unapproved renewal applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
Since 2012, DACA holders have been allowed to live and work freely in the U.S. given they renew their status every two years but increasing delays have caused people to lose work permits and jobs.
Rebecca Shi, CEO of the American Business Immigration Coalition, which advocates for system reform, said a process which previously took weeks is now dragging on for months.
"Give people a heads up. Give their employer, their community a heads up so that people can apply well in advance," Shi urged.
DHS officials said longer wait times are warranted to ensure the proper vetting of applicants in accordance with a 2025 executive order signed by President Donald Trump but legal aid groups fear the slowdown is part of a larger mass deportation plan.
There are close to 500,000 active DACA holders in the U.S., including more than 20,000 in New York. Brought to the U.S. as undocumented children, they now work in essential fields like education, healthcare and law enforcement.
Their labor force participation rate tops 90%, compared to the average American’s rate of just over 60%. Shi argued their removal from the workforce affects everyone.
"When you remove people that are productive and so motivated, you're not just harming these professionals, you're harming the American economy and also American citizens that depend on their hard work," Shi pointed out.
Shi hopes the lawsuit will provide DACA holders with some clarity and help expedite applications. Legal aid groups had previously filed a Freedom of Information Act request for federal records explaining changes to the DACA renewal process but so far, the administration has not responded.
Meanwhile, the Dream Act, which would allow DACA holders to earn U.S. citizenship, has been reintroduced in Congress but has failed to pass for more than 20 years.
