Federal court denies relief to tens of thousands of first-time DACA hopefuls

In a disheartening decision, a federal court in New York has denied relief to the at least 80,000 first-time Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) applicants who have been left in limbo for more than a year now.

Undocumented young people and their advocates had been in court last month to urge the judge revive tens of thousands of pending first-time applications that have been frozen since a Texas judge ruled against the program last summer as part of an entirely different case against DACA. While former and current program beneficiaries can continue to renew their work permits and deportation protections, no new applications can now be considered.

Litigants had hoped the New York court would allow their applications, which had been pending when the Texas decision went out, to continue on. But that request was denied last week.

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