Can I Get Medicaid As an Immigrant?
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was created in 2012 in order to provide temporary protection from deportation to qualified individuals who were brought to the United States illegally as children. Read on to learn more about the program and the latest updates.
What is the History of DACA?
Over the years, the DACA program has faced a lot of ups and downs:
- June 12th, 2012
- The Secretary of Homeland Security announced that certain people who came to the United States as children, and met certain criteria, could request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years.
- November 20th, 2014
- The Obama Administration expanded DACA. For example, they eliminated the age cap that had been included in the requirements and extended application deadlines.
- October 5th, 2017
- On October 5th, 2017, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services stopped accepting DACA applications. A memo was issued by the Department of Homeland Security, rejecting all pending and future initial requests for DACA. Additionally, the memo limited the benefits of current DACA beneficiaries. For example, they may only receive one-year renewals of their DACA status, rather than the previous two-year extensions.
- January 20, 2021
- President Joseph Biden passed an executive order to preserve and fortify the DACA program.
Who is Eligible for DACA?
Requirements for Applying:
- You came to the United States before age 16
- You were not yet age 31 on June 15, 2012
- You have lived here continuously since June 15, 2007
- You entered the U.S. unlawfully or fell out of status before June 15, 2012
- You are in school, graduated from high school, or have a Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED)
- You have not been convicted of a felony or certain misdemeanors
What is the Latest Update?
Recently, a federal judge has ordered the Biden administration to end new DACA applications. As of now the future of the program is unclear. But, both President Biden and Vice President Harris are working to keep the program afloat.
If you have any questions or concerns about the DACA program, reach out to our firm today. Our firm will continue to update you as the situation unfolds.
Contact our experienced Wisconsin firm
John Sesini is an experienced immigration attorney with offices in Green Bay and Milwaukee Wisconsin. Our firm understands what is at stake when it comes to immigration law matters, which is why If you have any questions, you should not hesitate to contact the Sesini Law Group, S.C. and schedule your initial consultation with our firm today.
