Summary
Congress has some support from both parties for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, but many Republicans are waiting for former President Trump to begin talks on a permanent solution. DACA, which protects children brought to the U.S. illegally from deportation, currently helps about 500,000 people, but recent enforcement actions have worried supporters of the program.
Key Facts
- DACA was started in 2012 to protect children who came to the U.S. illegally before 2007 from being deported.
- Around 500,000 people benefit from DACA today.
- Some DACA recipients without criminal records have been detained by immigration officials this year.
- Former President Trump has expanded deportation efforts with strong backing from Congress.
- Almost 20 DACA recipients have been detained in 2025, as reported by the group Home is Here.
- Some Republicans in Congress, like Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, support a legal pathway for DACA recipients.
- A bipartisan coalition in Congress previously supported DACA, but that support has lessened in recent years.
- Of the 34 Republican lawmakers who supported DACA in 2017, only eight remain in Congress.
