We are family-oriented immigration lawyers focused on helping people who want to build a fulfilling life in the United States.

Our Knowledgeable Attorneys Will Help You Determine If DACA Makes Sense

In June 2012, President Barack Obama announced a program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which provides temporary relief from deportation for undocumented individuals who arrived in the United States when they were under 16 years old. DACA also allows noncitizens who have deferred action status to apply for a work permit for the length of their deferred action.

Individuals must meet a set of criteria in order to be eligible for deferred action status. However, meeting that set of criteria does not automatically ensure that a person will be granted deferred action status. Cases are handled by the Department of Homeland Security on a case-by-case basis.

For your convenience, we have offices in Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio.

The immigration attorneys at Rodriguez Bell & DiFranco Law Office, LLC, have a thorough understanding of DACA requirements. We help individuals apply for deferred action status in order to remain in the United States. In order to be eligible for deferred status, a noncitizen:

  • Must have been under age 16 when he or she arrived in the U.S.
  • Must be physically present at the time the request is made and must have continuously lived in the U.S. since June 15, 2007, until the present time
  • Must have been under age 31 as of June 15, 2012
  • Must either be currently in school, a high school graduate, have obtained a General Educational Development (GED) certificate, or have received an honorable discharge from the Coast Guard or armed forces of the United States
  • Must have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, or three or more other misdemeanors
  • Must not pose a threat to national security or public safety

DACA Can Buy You Important Time

It is important to note that deferred action status does not grant legal residency status to a recipient. Also, there is no direct path from deferred action status to lawful permanent residence or citizenship. It can, however, allow you to legally remain in the United States while one of our immigration lawyers works with you to determine if there is a means to obtain legal permanent residency.

If you have questions about deferred action status or any immigration matter and how to qualify, call or email us to schedule a consultation. Too often, we encounter clients who pursued a GED certificate in order to meet the requirements for deferred action status only to discover that they wasted their money on a program that was not accredited. We help our clients avoid mistakes that are costly and delay the process.