New York City — All Five Boroughs
Mandi Law Group helps NYC Dreamers protect their DACA status with timely renewals, advance parole applications, and pathways to permanent residence. Do not let your DACA expire — work authorization and protection from removal depend on it. Call (518) 698-0347.
New York City is home to tens of thousands of DACA recipients — young people brought to the United States as children who have grown up, attended schools, built careers, and raised families in New York. The DACA program has been subject to repeated legal challenges, making timely renewals and legal guidance more important than ever. Mandi Law Group represents DACA recipients throughout all five boroughs, helping them maintain their status, travel when appropriate, and transition to permanent immigration status wherever possible.
Call (518) 698-0347 — do not let your DACA expire. File your renewal at least 4 months before expiration.
DACA renewals must be filed before the current grant expires — USCIS recommends filing 150-120 days before expiration. We prepare complete renewal packages with updated biographical information, criminal record review, and all required forms and fees. Timely filing ensures continuous work authorization and protection from removal during the renewal period.
A criminal conviction or arrest can disqualify an individual from DACA or lead to DACA termination. Before filing any DACA application or renewal, we conduct a full criminal record review — including juvenile records, arrests without conviction, and out-of-state records — to assess risk and advise on whether and how to proceed safely.
DACA recipients may apply for advance parole (Form I-131) to travel outside the United States for educational, employment, or humanitarian purposes. Returning on advance parole after a trip abroad may allow certain DACA recipients who entered without inspection to adjust status through a U.S. citizen or LPR family member. We advise on all DACA travel plans and the adjustment of status strategy that may arise from international travel.
DACA does not provide a direct path to a green card. However, some DACA recipients have routes to permanent residence — through marriage to a U.S. citizen, through a parent who can now petition (if over 21), through employment sponsorship, or through special immigrant categories. We evaluate each DACA client's full situation for any available permanent status options.
DACA initial applications are currently being accepted subject to ongoing litigation. We monitor court orders affecting DACA availability and advise new applicants who meet the criteria — continuous presence since June 2007, age at least 15 when filing, under 31 as of June 15, 2012, and no disqualifying criminal history — on whether they can file and when.
DACA can be terminated for criminal offenses, failure to maintain continuous residence, or a national security or public safety concern. USCIS may also issue Requests for Evidence challenging eligibility. We represent DACA recipients facing termination and file motions and RFE responses to protect our clients' DACA status.
The DACA program has been subject to ongoing federal court litigation since 2020. USCIS has been accepting renewal applications and some initial applications subject to court orders. As of 2026, USCIS continues processing DACA renewal applications, but the program's long-term future remains uncertain due to pending federal litigation. New initial DACA applications face restrictions based on court injunctions. We monitor the program status daily and advise clients on current filing eligibility. Because the situation changes with court orders, contact us for the most current information on what USCIS is accepting.
USCIS recommends filing DACA renewals 150 to 120 days (5 to 4 months) before your current DACA expires. Filing early ensures there is time to request expedited processing if needed and provides maximum protection against lapses in work authorization. If you file more than 150 days early, USCIS may reject the application. If your DACA already expired, contact an attorney immediately — late renewals within 1 year of expiration may be filed with an explanation, though there is no guarantee of approval. Do not let your DACA expire without contacting us.
Criminal history is the most significant risk factor in DACA renewals. A single DUI (even without jail time), drug offense, domestic violence conviction, or other significant misdemeanor can disqualify a DACA renewal and lead to USCIS referring the case for removal proceedings. Before filing any DACA renewal with a criminal record, you must consult with an immigration attorney who can analyze the specific offense under DACA's eligibility criteria. We conduct a full criminal record analysis — including the specific statute, disposition, and sentence — before advising any client with a criminal history on whether to file.
Potentially yes — this is one of the most significant strategies for DACA recipients who were brought to the U.S. as children without inspection (crossed the border without a visa). For DACA recipients who entered without inspection originally, returning to the U.S. on advance parole may constitute a 'lawful admission' under the Ninth Circuit and some district courts, potentially allowing adjustment of status through a U.S. citizen spouse, parent, or other qualifying relative. This strategy is more established in the Ninth Circuit but has been applied by some courts in New York. The legal landscape is complex and fact-specific. We advise DACA clients on this strategy on a case-by-case basis and do not recommend traveling without a full legal analysis first.
USCIS permits late DACA renewal filings within approximately one year of expiration with an explanation for the delay. For expirations more than one year ago, options are more limited and depend on USCIS's current policies (which have changed with litigation and administration changes). A late renewal filing should include a detailed explanation of why the timely renewal was not made — serious illness, unawareness of deadlines, prior attorney error, or other compelling reasons. We review late-filing situations individually and advise on the realistic prospects of reinstatement versus alternative immigration strategies.
DACA renewals should be filed 4-5 months before expiration. Contact Mandi Law Group to begin your renewal today.