A 30-year-old man says he lost his job in Pharr after waiting months for his DACA renewal.

Immigration attorneys and advocates say renewals are taking longer than usual. The man, who asked not to be identified, has had DACA status since he was 15. He applied for renewal in December but is still waiting on his new work authorization card.

His DACA status expired in February.

"I was employed here at the city of Pharr for the past six years and I've always kept in check with them," he said. "Every time I would renew, I would give them my new paperwork to them and this time because of the delays, everything happened really fast, and I had to be terminated."

The DACA program protects those who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children from deportation. It also allows them to work in the U.S.

Immigration Attorney Susana Silva has seen recent delays in DACA renewals.

"The most recent card that did arrive — my client waited eight months," Silva said.

Silva said she doesn't know why the delays are happening but recommends people inquire with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to see how the process can be sped up. The government recommends DACA recipients submit their renewal request at least 120 days before their status expires.

Ana Zamarripa is a social service coordinator with La Union del Pueblo Entero. The organization helps people fill out DACA renewal forms, and she said she's also seen the DACA renewal delays firsthand.

"LUPE has noticed an increased pattern on DACA delays extending it up to six months," Zamarripa said. "Our members have been impacted by job losses."

The man who lost his job said he hopes his life returns to normal.

“My hope is to either go back to my previous employer or, if not, just be able to move up north with my DACA status and work up there,” he said.

When reached for comment, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services spokesman Zach Kahler issued the following statement in full:

“Under the leadership of President Trump, USCIS is safeguarding the American people by more thoroughly screening and vetting all aliens, which can lengthen processing times. DACA does not confer any form of legal status in this country. Illegal aliens claiming to be recipients of DACA are not automatically protected from deportation. Any illegal alien who is a DACA recipient may be subject to arrest and deportation for a number of reasons —including if they committed a crime.”

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