Valley immigration attorney explains what's next for DACA recipients amid state challenge
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Texas is home to more than 100,000 DACA recipients.
But with applications possibly re-opening and a lawsuit from Attorney General Ken Paxton challenging the program, their future remains uncertain.
Immigration attorneys say many local dreamers are in a limbo, waiting to see if they'll have the chance to apply or renew their status.
DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, provides temporary protection from deportation and work permits for immigrants brought to the United States as children. New applications haven't been accepted for years, but a recent court decision could change that.
"The government is indicating that they will comply with a court order allowing for DACA applicants to submit their applications across the country, including in the state of Texas," Rio Grande Valley immigration attorney Carlos Moctezuma Garcia said.
However, the Texas lawsuit, led Paxton, argues that DACA is illegal and creates an economic burden by giving beneficiaries access to public resources.
Advocates disagree, saying recipients pay taxes and fill critical jobs.
"This is all about what Governor Abbott and Ken Paxton filed against the DACA program. They won essentially, and what's going to happen now is that immigrants who are DACA beneficiaries don't get to have their work permits in the state of Texas," Garcia said.
If the program does reopen, Garcia says Texas recipients may still be left out, unable to receive work permits despite being approved for DACA and potentially forcing dreamers to move to another state.
The final decision could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Immigration attorneys say until there's a final ruling, Texas dreamers will remain in a limbo.
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