Washington, D.C. – On Friday, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York ordered the Trump Administration to fully restore Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).  As of today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is accepting new initial and advance parole applications and extending protection terms from one to two years for all applicants.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship Chair Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) released the following statement in response:

"The recent federal ruling is a major victory for a program that provides relief from deportation and work authorization for thousands of young Dreamers.  Today, for the first time since September 4, 2017, DACA is fully restored and open to new applicants.  While we celebrate, we recognize that the fight is not over.  Courts all over the country continue to weigh in on the legality of the DACA, and Dreamers’ lives remain in limbo. 

"Over a year ago, the House of Representatives passed the American Dream and Promise Act to provide young Dreamers with the certainty and stability that they deserve, but Senate Majority Leader McConnell failed to take up this critical legislation. More than 200,000 DACA recipients are essential workers, including nearly 30,000 who are healthcare workers on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. The United States is their home, and it is long overdue that our laws reflect their contributions to our communities."