DACA Program Approval with Arrests Raises Concerns

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, established by former President Barack Obama in 2012, has granted approval to over 765,000 requestors, with 79,398 having at least one arrest, including for violent crimes, according to a report by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Nearly 80,000 DACA recipients with prior arrest records, including for serious offenses, were allowed to stay in the U.S. within the first five years of the program's implementation. President Joe Biden recently announced plans to expand deportation protections and job opportunities for DACA recipients, while facing legal challenges over the program's legality and concerns about granting citizenship to individuals with criminal backgrounds.