After years of uncertainty due to the status of the DACA program, young Dreamers in Chicago can once again apply for immigration amnesty under the program thanks to a recent ruling by a Maryland judge. Although the United States Supreme Court in June maintained the amnesty of the more than 600,000 dreamers already enrolled, no new applications had been accepted.
U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm, however, has issued a ruling that all parts of the DACA program be restored to its pre-September 2017 status. That ruling effectively means that all parts of the DACA law are officially operational again, including applications to the program.
Prior to Judge Grimm’s ruling, the Supreme Court’s June decision effectively restored the legality of the deportation amnesty for all the 640,000 Dreamers already enrolled in the program. During the three-year legal battle, those who already had amnesty could continue to reapply for their status, but no new applications were taken.
After the Supreme court’s ruling, many immigrants’ rights groups began to lobby for reinstatement of the DACA application process. One of those was CASA, an immigrants’ right group based in Maryland that took the case to reinstate the application process to the Maryland District Court. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has yet to approve any of the new applications that have already been started.
Even though new applications may have not received approval yet, Dreamers who have not applied to the DACA program should consider starting their application immediately. First-time applicants may want to consult with an attorney before submitting their application to get an assessment on their application and to determine any risks before submitting it to the United States Government. DACA applications have sometimes been initially denied in the past, so it’s important that Dreamers have all the paperwork properly filled out before applying.
Going through the DACA process to become of a citizen of the United States gives Dreamers several legal rights that are not available to undocumented residents. Those living under the DACA program are able to travel back and forth to their home country without fear of deportation and can legally hold jobs.
