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Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

DACA Attorney in Los Angeles

Helping Dreamers Navigate DACA Renewals and Court Changes

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) lets people who came to the United States as children apply for protection from deportation and a renewable work permit.

A DACA applicant must meet each of the following requirements:

  • Age at arrival – The applicant must have entered the United States before turning 16 and be under 31 as of June 15, 2012.
  • Continuous residence – The applicant must show ongoing physical presence in the United States for the years the program requires, without a qualifying departure.
  • School enrollment or service – The applicant must be enrolled in school, hold a diploma or its equivalent, or have been honorably discharged from the military.
  • Criminal history – The applicant must not have a felony conviction, a significant misdemeanor conviction, or multiple misdemeanor convictions.

Meeting these requirements only opens the door to deferred action and a work permit. It does not grant a green card or citizenship, which is why even approved recipients need a separate, longer-term plan for permanent status.

DACA has been tied up in federal court litigation for years, and the rules around who can apply and who can renew have changed more than once. If you're a current recipient, a past applicant, or someone who thinks you might qualify, you need to know where the program stands before you file or decide based on what you assumed was still true.

Call (818) 276-9900 or submit an online message to talk with a Los Angeles immigration attorney at Arnaout Immigration Law Firm about your DACA renewal or your other options for legal status.

What Is DACA?

DACA is a policy the Department of Homeland Security created, which means it can be changed, narrowed, or challenged in court without a vote in Congress. 

Approval grants deferred action (a formal decision not to pursue removal for a set period) and eligibility for an employment authorization document. Neither status is permanent. Each one needs renewal on a schedule, and each can be cut short if the underlying policy changes again.

Your Options: DACA Renewals, Pending Applications, and Alternatives

Where you stand with DACA depends on your history with the program and what's happened in your case so far.

Your situation determines what we recommend, including whether you fall into one of the following categories:

  • You currently hold DACA status – You can generally continue filing for renewal on the standard timeline. We review your prior approvals and current record before you file to prevent delays or denials over issues we could have caught in advance.
  • You applied for DACA for the first time and are still waiting – Your case may sit in the system without a decision while the litigation continues. We check your filing status and explain what a realistic timeline looks like based on where your case sits in the process.
  • You never applied and think you might qualify – Filing a first-time DACA request right now carries real uncertainty, since approvals aren't being issued while the courts review the program. We walk through whether filing anyway makes sense for you or whether another form of relief fits your situation better.
  • You're facing removal proceedings without DACA protection – If your DACA status lapsed or was never approved, you may still have other defenses available, including asylum, cancellation of removal, or a waiver. We look at your full immigration history to find every option that applies.
  • You qualify for a different immigration category – Some DACA recipients and applicants also qualify for family-based petitions, U visas, T visas, or relief under the Violence Against Women Act. We review your case against every category we handle.

Whichever category fits your situation, the goal is the same: know your actual options before you file anything.

Experienced DACA & Removal Defense Representation in Los Angeles

Attorney Eman Arnaout reviews each client's file personally, examines the facts, and researches the applicable law before recommending a path forward. That's true whether your case involves a straightforward DACA renewal or a more complicated removal defense matter tied to a lapsed DACA status. Our team communicates with clients in English, Spanish, Tagalog, Cebuano, and Arabic, so language barriers don't stand between you and a clear explanation of your case.

Although DACA gets most of the attention, it is only one of several forms of relief available to people who came to the United States as children or who now face uncertainty about their status. 

If DACA doesn't apply to you, or if it stops applying at some point, Arnaout Immigration Law Firm can review your file for family-based petitions, asylum and TPS, waivers, and other paths to legal status in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas.

Contact us at (818) 276-9900 and have a Los Angeles immigration attorney review your DACA case alongside every other option that might apply to you.

Frequently Asked Questions About DACA

The following are the questions we hear most often from current recipients, past applicants, and people considering applying for the first time.

Can I Still Apply for DACA for the First Time?

You can generally still submit a first-time DACA request, but USCIS is not issuing approvals to new applicants while the program's legality remains under court review. Filing now may mean your case sits without a decision for an extended period, which is why we walk through the realistic timeline and your alternatives before you file.

Can I Renew My DACA Status Right Now?

Current DACA recipients can generally continue to file for renewal on their standard schedule. That said, renewal is not automatic, and issues in your underlying record, such as a new criminal charge or a lapse in continuous residence, can affect the outcome, which is why we review your file before every renewal filing.

What Happens If the Courts Change DACA Again?

DACA's rules have changed more than once as the litigation has moved through the courts, and they could change again. If a new ruling affects status, we contact clients directly to explain what the change means for their specific case rather than leaving them to interpret a headline on their own.

What Other Options Do I Have If DACA Doesn't Work for Me?

Depending on your immigration history, family relationships, and how you entered the country, you may qualify for a family-based petition, asylum, a waiver, or another form of relief entirely separate from DACA. We review your full case to find every option available.