Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
- Overview
What is DACA?
On June 15, 2012, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that certain people who came to the United States as children and meet several guidelines may request consideration of deferred action for a period of 2 years, subject to renewal. They are also eligible to request work authorization. Deferred action is an exercise of prosecutorial discretion to defer removal action against an individual for a certain period of time. Deferred action does not provide lawful status (source).
*Subject to current court orders, as of October 31, 2022, no new DACA requests are being approved. Current DACA approvals and work authorizations remain in effect for those who received their initial DACA status prior to July 16, 2021, and the Department of Homeland Security will continue to process DACA renewal requests.
It is also accepting initial DACA and employment authorization requests, however, it cannot process initial requests under the current court orders, so these requests remain on hold.
- Qualifying for DACA
Who Qualifies for DACA Status?
*Subject to current court orders, as of October 31, 2022, no new DACA requests are being approved. Current DACA approvals and work authorizations remain in effect for those who received their initial DACA status prior to July 16, 2021, and the Department of Homeland Security will continue to process DACA renewal requests.*
You may request consideration of DACA if you:
- Were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012
- Came to the United States before reaching your 16th birthday
- Have continuously resided in the United States since June 15, 2007, up to the present time
- Were physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012 and at the time of making your request for consideration of deferred action with USCIS
- Had no lawful status on June 15, 2012, meaning that you never had a lawful immigration status on or before June 15, 2012, or any lawful immigration status or parole that you obtained prior to June 15, 2012, had expired as of June 15, 2012
- Are currently in school, have graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, have obtained a General Educational Development (GED) certificate, or are an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States
- Have not been convicted of a felony, a significant misdemeanor, three or more other misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety
To get started, the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services website will help answer some of your questions regarding your immigration status and how to request consideration for DACA. There, you can find out more information about the DACA process, background checks, fees, etc.
- Useful Resources
Guidance and Resources
- Important Note
Important Note
It is important to reiterate that at Stony Brook University, we do not request or require immigration status as part of the admissions process, nor is immigration status a factor in student housing decisions.
We do not share private information. Once a student is enrolled we protect student confidentiality in line with federal and state law. Our University Police Department does not inquire into nor record the immigration status of students or other persons unless they have been arrested.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policy characterizes colleges and universities as "sensitive locations" -- places where enforcement actions should not occur outside of extraordinary circumstances.
- FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding DACA
If you currently have DACA and your work authorization has not expired, your DACA is still in effect, and you are eligible to request renewal at the appropriate time under the final rule, effective Oct. 31, 2022. Neither the court decision nor the final rule affect the validity period of current grants of DACA, related work authorization, or advance parole.
Individuals requesting DACA as a renewal may continue to submit DACA renewal requests. USCIS will continue to process and issue a decision on your renewal DACA request, under the policies and procedures laid out in the final rule, effective Oct. 31, 2022.
While USCIS will accept your initial DACA request, they are prohibited from granting initial requests or an accompanying application for employment authorization. If you have an initial DACA request pending, your request is on hold while the court orders are in effect.
If you filed an initial DACA request with USCIS on or after July 16, 2021, you will receive a receipt notice, and USCIS will process your payment. However, USCIS will not adjudicate your request while the court orders are in effect.
Yes. USCIS will continue to accept and adjudicate applications for advance parole for current DACA recipients.
Students and families with questions regarding the residency policy should contact the Office of Student Accounts at residency@stonybrook.edu.
Students with a status of deferred action are not eligible to receive federal or state aid. However, they will be considered for University merit based scholarships upon admission to Stony Brook.
View ScholarshipsYes, Stony Brook’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is available to all students who would like counseling services given this difficult time. Their location and contact details are below.
Student Health Services - Second Floor
1 Stadium Drive
Stony Brook, NY 11794-3100