Tacoma Community College Library: Immigrant and Refugee Research and Resources Guide: DACA

Notice:

The goal of this guide is to provide resources and information for TCC students, staff, and faculty. This guide is informational and does not reflect or provide legal guidance or advice. If you are seeking immigration guidance and/or legal assistance, please explore the resources on the tabs above and reach out to those agencies and organizations directly.

As of January 20, 2025 there are sweeping changes to immigration, migration and deportation policies, and to the practices of Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, U.S. Armed Forces, and local law enforcement within the scope of their duties. At the most current update of this guide, February 12, 2025, there are many questions that remain unanswered about the scope of and the legality of proposed changes. Most links to resources in this guide will lead to updated information, but you should always check when any resource has been last updated before accepting the information that you find there.

Below is a 6-minute video offering strategies about how to search for up-to-date information about immigrant, migrant, and refugee law and status in the United States.

Disclosure: The above transcripts were translated from the original English using ChatGPT.

What is DACA?

DACA - or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

What is DACA?

DACA - or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals - is a program that helps undocumented young people (who meet certain requirements) gain temporary immigration protections, including a work permit and protection from deportation. ~ Northwest Immigrant Rights Project

Please see January 2025 update about DACA here
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Resources for DACA Recipients
A list of important resources for DACA recipients or family members

Helpful Websites

DACA/Dreamers
Northwest Immigrants Rights Project
FAQs about DACA
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Statement on Sept. 5 DACA decision
Tacoma Community House
DACA - Immigrant Legal Resource Center
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center has article and up to date info about DACA and other topics affecting immigrant populations.
Resources for immigrant assistance
Tacoma Community House

Helpful Articles

Improving higher education opportunities for undocumented students: A resource guide for Washington students and their advocates
Washington State Educational Access Coalition for HB 1079 Students, July 2013
Resource guide: Supporting undocumented youth
U.S. Dept. of Education, 2015

Image source: "Protesters in San Francisco, September 5, 2017" by Pax Ahimsa Gethen is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Understanding DACA

DACA Eligibility

Please be aware that rulings about DACA can have significant impacts on processing and eligibility. Please consult updated information on the DACA Litigation Information and Frequently Asked Questions page linked below.

Guidelines from Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) website as of November 2023. Subject to change. See the site, linked below, for updated information.

Request DACA

A request for DACA may be granted only if USCIS determines in its sole discretion that you meet each of the following threshold criteria and merit a favorable exercise of discretion:

Were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012 (that is, you were born on or after June 16, 1981);
Came to the United States before reaching your 16th birthday;
Have continuously resided in the United States since June 15, 2007, up to the time of filing your request for DACA;
Were physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012, and at the time of filing your request for DACA with USCIS;
Had no lawful immigration status on June 15, 2012, and at the time of filing your request for DACA, meaning that:
- You never had a lawful immigration status on or before June 15, 2012, or
- Any lawful immigration status or parole that you obtained had expired as of June 15, 2012, and
- Any lawful status that you had after June 15, 2012, expired or otherwise terminated before you submitted your request for DACA;
Are currently enrolled in school, have graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, have obtained a General Education Development (GED) certificate, or are an honorably discharged veteran of the United States Coast Guard or armed forces of the United States; and
Have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor (that is, a misdemeanor as described in 8 CFR 236.22(b)(6)), or 3 or more other misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety.
Anyone requesting DACA must have been under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012 (this means you must have been born on or after June 16, 1981).

See more information from the DACA site, and information about litigation, linked below:

Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
DACA Litigation Information and Frequently Asked Questions
Includes information from the September 2023 U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas ruling
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals: Response to January 2018 Preliminary Injunction
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals: Response to January 2018 Preliminary Injunction, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services site
Archived information about DACA Program
Archived content about DACA from U.S. Citizenship Immigration and Services department

DACA Legal Assistance

Washington State Courts' General Rule 24

Washington State Courts' General Rule 24, provides a legal definition for Practice of Law, including defining what constitutes legal advice. The following is an Exception Clause. This is an important clause to know about if you are questioned about providing general information about law or rights under the U.S. Constitution to members of the public.

(d) General Information: Nothing in this rule shall affect the ability of a person or entity to provide information of a general nature about the law and legal procedures to members of the public.

Washington State Courts' General Rule 24