On November 20, 2014, President Obama announced a series of executive
actions on including allowing certain parents of U.S. citizens and residents to
stay and work in the U.S. without fear of deportation, as well as expanding the
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. USCIS announced
that the federal agency will begin accepting applications for the expanded DACA
program on February 18, 2015.
Expanded DACA Program
The expanded DACA program is for individuals present in the U.S.
without legal immigration status, and enables certain persons to apply for
deferred action benefits for the first time.
There are three basic changes to the DACA program. Under the expanded DACA
program: (1) the period of deferred action and employment authorization will be
three years; (ii) the current age of the applicants will no longer be a factor
for consideration; and (3) the period of continuous residence in the U.S. for
eligibility is January 1, 2010. (Under the existing program, applicants must be
30 years old or younger, the benefits only last two years, and applicants had
to be continuously present in the U.S. since June 15, 2007.)
DACA
applicants must still be currently enrolled in school, have graduated from high
school, have obtained a general education development certificate, or be
honorably discharged veterans of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United
States.
Applicants
are not eligible for DACA is they have been convicted of a felony offense, a
significant misdemeanor offense, multiple misdemeanor offenses, or otherwise
poses a threat to national security or public safety.
If you are interested in more information on DACA please visit my website www.gouldervisa.com, or contact me at my law office from the gouldervisa.com website.
If you are interested in more information on DACA please visit my website www.gouldervisa.com, or contact me at my law office from the gouldervisa.com website.
