With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Despite Favorable Ruling, Uncertainty Surrounds DACA For Next Several Weeks

Immigrants in the embattled DACA program got good news this past weekend when a federal judge ruled in their favor. But uncertainty still surrounds the Obama-era program which covers close to 200,000 young people in California.
The ruling invalidates the orders of acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, who in July issued a memo whittling the renewal period for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program from two years to one year.
That meant participants would have had to pay double what they used to pay in renewal fees, which are about $500 per application, in seeking protection from deportation and work authorization.
Under Wolf's direction, the agency also refused to accept new applicants. But a federal judge in New York said Wolf, who jumped over the order of succession to ascend to his position and was never confirmed by the Senate, could not lawfully add new restrictions to the program.
DACA has been in limbo since the Trump administration tried to end it in 2017. In June, the Supreme Court ruled that DACA may continue, but the administration kept pushing restrictions.
This latest ruling doesn’t yet mean that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which oversees DACA, will accept new applicants, said Jean Lantz Reisz, who co-directs the USC Immigration Clinic.
"There's no guarantee that USCIS would even process these applications in the next nine weeks for new people," Reisz told KPCC's Take Two. "But then we have a change in administration."
President-elect Joe Biden has said he will reinstate DACA in his first 100 days.
READ MORE ABOUT DACA:
- In LA, Biden Election Victory Encourages DACA Recipients Who've Felt Under Siege
- Supreme Court Upholds DACA, Protecting 'Dreamers' (For Now)
- 'It Was A Relief': DACA Students Find Hope In Supreme Court Ruling
- Trump Administration Refuses To Accept New DACA Applicants Despite Court Rulings
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

-
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings.
-
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past.
-
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.
-
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead.
-
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades.
-
More than half of sales through September have been to corporate developers. Grassroots community efforts continue to work to combat the trend.