Trump administration resumes DACA renewals

WASHINGTON—The Department of Homeland Security resumed accepting renewal applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program Sunday, four days after a federal judge temporarily halted the Trump administration’s order to end the program. “Until further notice, and unless otherwise provided in this guidance, the DACA policy will be operated on the terms in place before it was rescinded on Sept. 5, 2017,” the department announced in a statement. President Donald Trump announced in September the government would stop accepting DACA applications, eventually ending the program March 5. Several groups challenged the decision, and a federal judge last week placed a preliminary injunction on Trump’s order. Homeland Security’s Sunday announcement only pertains to DACA recipients seeking to renew their status under the program. The court injunction does not allow for new applicants to seek protected status. Without action from Congress, DACA recipients will still begin to lose their status after March 5. Lawmakers held multiple bipartisan meetings last week to discuss a solution for DACA beneficiaries and other immigration-related policies. A group of senators announced last week they have a deal “in principle” to protect DACA recipients and boost border security measures. But Trump remains unsatisfied with the proposal. In a tweet Sunday, the president suggested “DACA is probably dead” because Democrats aren’t willing to negotiate.