What’s New with DACA-Dreamer Work Permit

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which took effect August 15, remains in place. As of October 12, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security granted deferred action to almost 4,600 individuals.

Most of the applications are coming from California. California is home to a number of enacted and proposed measures that support those eligible for DACA. On September 30, Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill allowing those eligible for DACA to apply for driver’s licenses. Many other states, such as Michigan, will not allow those eligible for DACA to apply for driver’s licenses.

The Los Angeles City Counsel is considering creating a city photo identification card to help undocumented immigrants get access to banking services. Several California cities, including San Francisco and Oakland, allow any individual who can prove residency to receive an identification card, regardless of immigration status.

The processing time for DACA applications is faster than expected. As of October 1, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) received 120,000 applications. This is less than half of the total number (300,000) USCIS planned to process by that time.

Several California school districts and county offices of education, including the San Mateo County Office of Education, created webpages or opened centers to issue transcripts for DACA applications.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defined DACA applicants and those granted deferred status through DACA as individuals not having a “lawful presence” in the U.S. Consequently, DACA applicants and those granted deferred status are ineligible for Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.

Undocumented students remain eligible for University of California application fee waivers, but ineligible for CSU application fee waivers. Whitman College, a private liberal arts college in Washington state, became one of the first private colleges to cover application fees for undocumented students.  Contact our office at 415-986-6186 to learn more about your DACA options.