DACA Renewals Decline, Increasing Uncertainty for Thousands of Dreamers in the U.S.

• DACA renewals decline.
• Immigration uncertainty grows.
• Dreamers face processing delays.

DACA beneficiaries are facing one of the most challenging periods since the program was created in 2012.

A combination of processing delays at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and an ongoing legal dispute in Texas is once again raising concerns for hundreds of thousands of Dreamers.

The uncertainty is growing because a delayed DACA renewal can affect both a recipient’s work authorization and their temporary protection from deportation.

According to an analysis published by Forum Together, USCIS processed significantly fewer DACA renewals during the beginning of fiscal year 2026 than it did during the same period the previous year.

DACA Renewals Decline, Raising Concerns for Dreamers

The report states that USCIS completed 35,648 DACA renewals during the first quarter of fiscal year 2026.

That figure represents nearly a 50% decline compared with the almost 70,000 renewals processed during the same period of the previous fiscal year.

Although the program remains in effect for current recipients, the slower pace of DACA renewal processing has raised concerns among immigrant advocacy organizations.

Every application that remains pending for a longer period increases the risk that a beneficiary’s work authorization will expire before their renewal is approved.

For many Dreamers, temporarily losing their work permit can result in financial hardship, employment issues, and uncertainty about their ability to remain in the country.

In addition to employment concerns, processing delays may also affect the temporary protection from deportation that DACA provides while the benefit remains active.

The Number of Active Recipients Continues to Decline

Data compiled by Forum Together show that the number of people with active DACA status continues to decrease.

As of December 31, 2025, there were 495,320 active DACA recipients.

One year earlier, that number stood at 533,280, reflecting a steady decline in the population of protected Dreamers.

The decrease is attributed to several factors, including the continued suspension of new initial applications because of court rulings that have blocked the program’s expansion.

Meanwhile, only individuals who are already enrolled in DACA are allowed to submit DACA renewal applications.

However, the decline in the number of processed renewals has raised additional questions about how quickly USCIS is handling these cases.

Texas Legal Battle Keeps DACA Under Pressure

In addition to administrative challenges, an ongoing lawsuit in Texas continues to place the future of DACA under judicial review.

Although DACA renewals remain available for current recipients, the legal proceedings continue to create uncertainty about the future of the program.

The concern is especially significant because any court ruling could affect the work permits of thousands of undocumented young immigrants.

For several years, DACA has faced repeated legal challenges, preventing new applicants from joining the program.

For those who depend on DACA, the program’s future remains tied both to court decisions and to USCIS’s ability to process DACA renewals in a timely manner.

Until a final legal resolution is reached, thousands of Dreamers will continue monitoring both processing times and developments in the federal courts.

Recent figures show that DACA renewals are declining while the total number of active beneficiaries also continues to shrink, creating ongoing uncertainty about one of the most important immigration programs for undocumented young people who grew up in the United States.

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Source: La Opinión