USCIS releases arrest histories of DACA requestors
12 percent of requestors had arrest records
YUMA, Ariz. - Today the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released updated arrest histories of illegal residents who have requested Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
The following has been released:
- Nearly 110,000 DACA requestors out of nearly 889,000 (12%) had arrest records. Offenses in these arrest records include assault, battery, rape, murder and driving under the influence.
- Of approved DACA requestors with an arrest, 85% (67,861) of them were arrested or apprehended before their most recent DACA approval.
- Of approved DACA requestors with an arrest, more than 31% (24,898) of them had more than one arrest.
- Of all DACA requestors, 218 had more than 10 arrests. Of those, 54 had a DACA case status of “approved” as of October 2019.
Included may be arrests that did not result in convictions or cases where charges were dropped or otherwise dismissed, says USCIS.
“As DACA continues to be the subject of both public discourse and ongoing litigation, USCIS remains committed to ensuring transparency and that the American people are informed about those receiving DACA,” said USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli.
"We hope this data provides a better sense of the reality of those granted the privilege of a temporary deferral of removal action and work authorization under DACA.”
DACA guidelines state requestors may be considered if they have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, three or more "non-significant' misdemeanors of the same act, omission or scheme of misconduct, and they do not pose a threat to national security or public safety.
USCIS says the number of arrests does not always disqualify requestors from receiving DACA.
For more information, visit uscis.gov
