In 2014, President Obama issued an executive order called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). This executive order affected the lives of millions of undocumented people living in the United States who had previously had an uncertain immigration status. 

DACA was aimed at young people who’d been brought illegally into the United States at a young age. The status of that executive order has since been in uncertain waters, and this has raised many questions among DACA recipients. 

The law office of Smith, Alston, Darner & Lee specializes in helping people resolve immigration issues in Mesa, including those pertaining to DACA. Call us today to schedule a consultation — (602) 892-5000!

The original requirements of the executive order were as follows:

• If a person was under 31 years of age as of June 15, 2012
• If a person entered the country before the age of 16
• If you have resided in the United States since June 15, 2007
• Had no lawful status on June 15, 2012
• If a person is enrolled in school or has a certificate of completion from high school, earned a GED, or an honorably discharged veteran of the armed forces 
• Have not been convicted of a felony, misdemeanor, or does not otherwise pose a threat to national security 
• If the person was present in the U.S at the time of making your request for consideration to the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services 

Further, the order had two main components: 

• It offers legal reprieve—meaning protection from deportation and the ability to apply for work permits— for undocumented parents of U.S citizens and permanent residents, as long as they can prove they have resided in the U.S for five years. 
• DACA allows for undocumented children brought here as small children to defer their deportation. The order initially expanded the application process to include people over the age of 30 and more recent arrivals.

Most people might remember that the DACA executive order made headlines when it was signed. It again made headlines during the election of 2016, when it was hotly contested and discussed by presidential candidates. As an executive order, the law is liable to change and has done so since the new administration. 

If you were previously granted DACA status and it expired on or after Sept 5, 2016, you may still file a renewal request. If it expired before that date, you might not qualify for a renewal. Deferred action is considered discretionary, meaning it is liable to be denied or rejected. 

Call us today at (602) 892-5000 to receive honest legal representation and advice from our professional Mesa immigration attorneys! 

The U.S immigration system can be known for its complexities. Any immigration process will likely involve lengthy paperwork, applications, documentation, etc. It is important to ensure your paperwork is complete and up to par for any legal process. We will guide you through these hoops and ladders and double-check that we comply with the latest changes and regulations.

Spencer Lee has specialized in the area of immigration for many years. He has worked closely with the community to ensure education and information gets out there about important changes to the immigration system. When you work with us, you will work with an attorney who not only wants to help you, but is also honest and straightforward about your case. We don’t have you going around in circles. 

Our experienced immigration attorney has been working in Arizona for many years. As a law firm, we have a strong connection to the local community including the large Hispanic community. Call us at 602-892-5000 for more information, or feel free to come by the offices in Mesa and Phoenix, AZ.