Full Breakdown
Colorado Congressional Delegation Calls for Immediate DACA Renewal Processing
6/22/2026, 12:49:50 AM
Colorado congressional delegation urges expediting DACA renewal applications
On June 18, 2026, Colorado congressional delegation—Michael Bennet, John Hickenlooper, Joe Neguse, Diana DeGette, Jason Crow, and Brittany Pettersen—sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Mark Mullin and USCIS Director Joseph Edlow urging expediting DACA renewal applications for Colorado residents.
DACA program overview and legal context
Created in 2012, DACA grants two-year, renewable work permits and protection to undocumented youths. Recipients must reapply every two years, pass background checks, and pay hundreds dollars. Courts allow renewals but block new applications, making timely processing vital.
Scale of the program and recent processing delays
USCIS reported 505,940 DACA recipients as of Sept 30, 2025, with California (141,470) and Texas (84,430) the largest. Colorado has over 12,000. Median renewal times rose from 15 days in FY 2025 to 70 days Oct 2025-Feb 2026—a 360 % jump, and now wait four months.
Economic contributions and essential-service roles
Eighty-seven percent of DACA recipients work, contributing about $17 billion annually. In Colorado they serve as police officers, teachers, nurses, health-care workers, first responders, and wildland firefighters—jobs vulnerable during projected severe wildfire season.
Official letter to DHS and USCIS
The letter urges DHS and USCIS to accelerate pending renewals and requests answers by June 30, 2026 on review periods, causes of delays, process changes, guidance for constituents, and whether lapsed recipients face unlawful-presence risks.
Criticism of the USCIS backlog
The delegation says backlog harms students, health-care workers, first responders, law-enforcement officers, and wildland firefighters, arguing prolonged processing undermines DACA’s purpose and threatens safety and economic stability.
On-the-Ground impact: Laura Almeida’s experience
Laura Almeida, a DACA recipient from Elgin, Texas, lost her job after her work permit expired while her renewal was pending. She enrolled in a Licensed Vocational Nurse program, calling pause “a way that I have some time to put a pause and educate myself.” She cited financial strain from renewal fees and lack of federal aid, prompting fundraiser.
Conflicting reports on processing times
USCIS data cite a median 70-day review between October 2025 and February 2026, while other reports describe “several months” with cases now wait four months, both confirming a sharp rise from the prior 15-day median.
Verbatim quotes
- “We write to express our deep concerns about the growing backlog of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal applications for hundreds of Coloradans that United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has not yet processed.” — Joe Neguse, Congressman
- “The USCIS backlog of DACA renewal requests is hurting many students, health care workers, first responders, law enforcement officers, and wildland firefighters during what is expected to be a severe wildfire season.” — Michael Bennet, Senator
- “I had to put my two-week notice at a place I had been at for almost 15 years.” — Laura Almeida, DACA recipient
- “It expires every two years, so we have to be renewing and paying the fees every two years.” — Laura Almeida
- “When a renewal is not approved before a recipient’s current authorization expires, the consequences can be immediate. Employers may place the worker on leave or end employment.” — Asian Journal report
Upcoming inquiries and outlook
The delegation asked DHS and USCIS to respond by June 30, 2026 and to clarify whether lapsed renewals expose recipients to unlawful-presence removal risk. Court rulings keep the program’s future uncertain, making timely processing a critical factor for recipients nationwide.
