Its been 11 years since the Obama Administration created DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
However, the future of the program remains up in the air as ongoing court battles have questioned the legality of the program.
Created as a way to legally live and work in the country for undocumented children brought to the U.S., Raymundo Montes said challenges for applicants have changed over the years.
Well send the forms to immigration, immigrations like, weve received your form, we accept the form, but unfortunately because of the Texas lawsuit, well put this application on hold, said Montes.
Montes is the DACA coordinator at Keep Tucson Together, a nonprofit working to stop deportations.
Right now, DACA itself is not a secure thing, said Montes.
Immigration lawyer, Mo Goldman, said because of recent court battles in the U.S. departing the legality of the program, has made it harder for new applicants.
People who want to file for DACA right now for the first time, right now theyre not able to get it. Their case will be held. The only people who can get DACA renewed are the people who already have DACA, said Goldman.
The Biden Administration has ruled to preserve the program, but a U.S. District Judge in Texas is expected to rule on DACA again in the coming days.
Youve got certain states that are trying to stop this program and have filed lawsuits to try to get injunctions and tried to get the prop program eliminated and so we see people who are still in this state of limbo, said Goldman.