Affects hundreds of thousands
Hundreds of thousands of people rely on DACA for the ability to work legally and avoid deportation, and many have lived in the U.S. since childhood.
In plain English
Temporary protection for those brought as children.
DACA lets people who were brought to the U.S. as kids live and work here legally for two years at a time, but it doesn't make them citizens.
Simple example
As of 2024, about 530,000 people are enrolled in DACA and must reapply every two years to keep their work permits and deportation protections.
Why it matters
What the term actually changes.
Ongoing legal uncertainty
Because DACA was created by executive action rather than legislation, its future depends on court rulings and decisions by each presidential administration.
Tests immigration authority
The program is at the center of a broader debate over whether the president or Congress should set immigration policy.
How it works
The mechanics, in practice.
Eligibility and application
Applicants must have arrived before age 16, lived continuously in the U.S. since June 2007, and meet education or military criteria, along with passing a background check.
Renewable two-year status
Approved recipients receive work authorization and deferred action against deportation, which they must renew every two years.
No permanent status
DACA does not provide a green card or citizenship; any pathway to permanent legal status would require an act of Congress.
Related guide
What is DACA, and why is its future contested?
A look at the program protecting roughly 530,000 immigrants brought to the U.S. as children — and the debate over whether Congress should offer them citizenship.
Read the guide → Related issue brief
Should DACA recipients have a path to citizenship?
Roughly 530,000 people enrolled in the Obama-era program live in long-term legal limbo as courts and Congress remain divided.
Read the brief →You’ve learned the term. Now vote.
Should DACA recipients have a path to citizenship?
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