Dreamers Eligible for DACA

(Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals)

In June of 2012, President Obama announced a new program of prosecutorial discretion for young people who were brought to the U.S., without legal immigration authorization, as children. Those eligible are called "Dreamers," because they were eligible for benefits on the Dream Act that never made it through Congress and never became law. To qualify, individuals must meet the following qualifications:

1. They must have come to the U.S. prior to their 16th birthday;
2. They must have continually resided in the U.S. for at least 5 years immediately before June 15, 2012 and must be present in the U.S. on that date;
3. They must have entered the U.S. without inspection before June 15, 2012, or their lawful immigration status expired as of June 15, 2012;
4. They must currently be in school, have graduated from high school, obtained a general education (GED) certificate, or be an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States;
5. They cannot have been convicted of a felony offense, significant misdemeanor offense, multiple misdemeanor offenses, or otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety; and
6. They must be under the age of 31 on June 15, 2012.