Lawsuit challenges delays in DACA renewal processing

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program recipients have had approval of their renewal applications delayed causing some to lose work permits and their jobs.

Immigration rights activist organizations are now suing the federal government for the delays. 

Program recipients are those who were brought to the U.S. as children with an undocumented status. They are allowed to live and work under the program as long as they renew their DACA status every two years.

Rebecca Shi, the CEO of the American Business Immigration Coalition, said the typical process takes a few weeks, but now it is dragging on for months.

“Give people a heads up. Give their employer, their community a heads up so that people can apply well in advance,” Shi said. 

The American Immigration Council reports that immigrants make up 14% of the workforce in Georgia and contribute billions to taxes.

Department of Homeland Security officials have responded to complaints about delays saying that longer wait times are necessary to ensure proper vetting to comply with a 2025 executive order by President Donald Trump.

Georgia has nearly 18,000 DACA holders with the U.S. totaling at close to 500,000, according to FWD.us. 

Shi said removing DACA recipients from the workforce impacts everyone with a labor force participation rate at more than 90% of recipients.

“When you remove people that are productive and so motivated, you’re not just harming these professionals, you’re harming the American economy and also American citizens that depend on their hard work,” Shi contended.

Shi said she hopes the lawsuit will help provide clarity and expedite applications.