
TRAILBLAZING DREAMERS COLLABORATIVE
UNT Dallas is home to a collaborative composed of dedicated staff who is working hard
to ensure we are providing resources and services for our dacamented and undocumented
students, while creating a positive change on campus. This collective is known as
the Trailblazing Dreamers Collaborative (TDC). Our mission as a Trailblazing Dreamers Collaborative is to advocate for and empower
our Dreamer students at UNT Dallas while educating our campus community.
You can learn more about TDC here: https://linktr.ee/untddreamers. Contact us at dreamers@untdallas.edu.
WHAT IS DACA?
DACA stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Established in 2012 by President
Barack Obama, DACA allows undocumented individuals who entered the United States as
minors to receive a renewable two-year period of “deferred action” or protection from
deportation. Some undocumented students at Columbia and at other colleges and universities
in the U.S. have DACA status.
DACA enables recipients to further or complete their educations, to work, to obtain
drivers’ licenses and social security numbers and build personal credit history. In
addition, it allows undocumented individuals to exit and re-enter the country.
DACA status provides protection against deportation. The program currently remains
in place.
The U.S. Federal Government grants DACA status on a case-by-case basis. It is not
a step towards gaining permanent residency or citizenship.
DACA IS BACK
- The government was instructed to revert the DACA program back to its original form
before the Setember 5, 2017 memo.
- If you have never had DACA and are eligible, you can apply for the first time.
- Advanced Parole has returned to its original form.
- 1-year renewal for DACA individuals will automatically have the protection extended
to two years
- If you had DACA previously and it expired more than one year ago or was terminated,
you may not request DACA as a renewal, but you may file a new initial DACA request.
As addressed above, if you had DACA and it expired less than one year ago, you can
request renewal and USCIS will typically accept the request.
Helpful Tips:
- If you currently have DACA, you should request renewal 150-120 days before it expires
to minimize the possibility that your current period of DACA expires before you receive
a decision on your renewal request.
- If you now have DACA , USCIS will accept renewal requests more than 150 days in advance
of your DACA expiration; however, this could result in an overlap of your current
DACA period and your renewal period.
- If your expiration date is over one year, you can renew. Typically, USCIS will not
reject renewals if the expiration date does not exceed one year.
- For frequently asked questions go here.
Dream and Promise Act
Do you have questions about the Dream and Promise Act? What does it mean? When will
it pass? Watch a short and helpful video from United We Dream (UWD)!
Watch on Facebook: http://lil.ms/99tw/42f4nq
Watch on Twitter: http://lil.ms/99tx/42f4nq
Watch on Instagram: http://lil.ms/99ty/42f4nq
Resources & Scholarships
- My Undocumented Life webpage has up-to-date information and resources for students,
including information about scholarships. Please go here for more information.
- Opening Doors International Services has been offering humanitarian and legal immigration
services to families and individuals in North Texas since 2003. Please go here for more information.
- North Texas Dream Team: a community-led nonprofit organization whose mission is to
advance the dreams and goals of students; to educate and bring awareness to everyone, regardless of
color, when it comes to issues in our communities. Please go here for more information.
- The Dream. US National scholarship fund for Dreamers who will begin their first year
in college and meet Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) eligibility criteria.
Find more information here.
- La Unidad Latina Foundation Scholarship Offers scholarships to current undocumented
undergrad and grad students in different degree programs. There are two due dates
for this scholarship, find more information here.
- United We Dream offers multiple resources for undocumented students and those seeking
help with DACA. UWD is the largest immigrant youth-led network in the country. Please
go here for more information.
Federal
Legal Assistance and/ Advocacy
- Immi is an online screening tools, legal information and referrals to nonprofit legal
services organizations from the Immigration Advocates Network and Pro Bono Net, helpful
site with lots of legal information. The webpage can be viewed in Spanish and English.
- Proyeto Inmigrante ICS, Inc. offers immigration counseling and legal representation services throughout the DFW
Metroplex
- Light of Hope ILC: Immigration Law Center that serves low-income families who face immigration challenges.