DREAMers Rights

"DREAMers" is a term often used to describe individuals who were brought to the United States as children without legal documentation. The term is derived from the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, a legislative proposal introduced several times in Congress but never enacted into law. The DREAM Act aimed to provide a pathway to legal status for these young immigrants under certain conditions, such as pursuing education or military service. In lieu of the DREAM Act's passage, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was introduced via executive action in 2012, providing temporary relief from deportation and work authorization for eligible individuals. In 2021, a court ruled that the original DACA program was unlawful. The government appealed this ruling, and while litigation on the legality of DACA is pending, this court ruling was partially stayed. Therefore, during this litigation, new DACA requests are not being granted, but existing DACA recipients may renew their status.