DACA Renewal 2026: Delays Grow as Approvals Stall
DACA recipients are waiting longer than ever for their renewals — and many are not getting approved at all. The backlog at USCIS has grown dramatically in 2026, and approvals have nearly stopped. For hundreds of thousands of Dreamers, this means their work permits and protection from deportation may be at risk.
DACA Renewal Delays Are Getting Worse in 2026
The number of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — a program that protects certain immigrants who came to the US as children from deportation) renewal cases waiting at USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) has grown sharply. According to Politico, approvals have ground to a halt under the Trump administration. Advocates and immigration lawyers say this looks like a quiet effort to undermine the program without formally ending it.
At the same time, other immigration stories are making headlines. A lawsuit in New York says federal officials kept an 8-year-old US citizen — born in Mexico but holding citizenship through his mother — in a Brooklyn shelter for nearly seven months. The lawsuit claims officials ignored evidence of his citizenship. In Minnesota, a protester was kept shackled in a hospital for days after being detained during an immigration enforcement protest. Critics say this shows how aggressive the current crackdown has become.
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On the business side, private prison companies are seeing major gains. Shares of GEO Group and CoreCivic — two of the largest private detention companies — are up 82% and 51% in 2026, respectively, making them some of the best-performing stocks this year. Meanwhile, Florida still owes $603 million to 27 companies that helped build migrant detention facilities in the state. And in Georgia, the Trump administration has backed away from plans to turn a warehouse into a large ICE detention center, just four months after buying the building.
What to Do
- If your DACA renewal is pending: Check your USCIS online account regularly for status updates. Do not wait until your current DACA expires — file your renewal as early as allowed (up to 180 days before expiration).
- If your DACA has expired or is about to expire: Talk to an immigration lawyer right away. Losing DACA status means losing your work permit (Form I-765, the Employment Authorization Document, also called an EAD) and your protection from deportation.
- If you are a US citizen being held by immigration authorities: You have the right to contact a lawyer immediately. Carry proof of your citizenship at all times — a US passport or birth certificate.
- Stay informed: Follow trusted immigration news sources and sign up for updates from organizations that track DACA policy changes.
Fishkin Law Firm, New York
DACA recipients whose renewals are significantly delayed should consider filing a mandamus lawsuit (a legal action that forces a federal agency to act) if USCIS has not processed their case within a reasonable time — courts have accepted these in past DACA slowdowns. If your employment authorization document (EAD) is expiring soon and your renewal is pending, ask your employer about the automatic extension rules that may apply to your work permit. Given how fast the situation is changing, consulting an immigration attorney before your current DACA expires is strongly recommended.