Reviewed as of November 8, 2026. DACA and TPS rules change quickly through court decisions and agency announcements. Always check the official USCIS pages linked below before you act.
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are two different programs that protect very different groups of people. Both have been the subject of court cases and changing government decisions, and both are often described with outdated information online. This guide explains what each program is, summarizes its status as of November 8, 2026, and shows you how to check the official rules that apply to you today.
This article is general education only. It is not legal advice. Because these programs change through court orders and agency announcements, check the official sources listed at the end before you act.
What DACA is
DACA, created in 2012, gives certain people who arrived in the United States as children a renewable two-year protection from deportation, called deferred action, and eligibility for a work permit. DACA is not a green card, not lawful status, and not a path to citizenship on its own.
DACA status as of November 2026
Renewals continue
USCIS accepts and processes DACA renewal requests, and current recipients keep their protection and work permits until they expire, unless the government ends an individual grant.
Initial requests cannot be granted
USCIS accepts first-time DACA requests but, because of a federal court order, it cannot approve them. Filing a first-time request today does not produce a grant.
The court case continues
In January 2025, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals held that the work permit part of the DACA rule is unlawful while deferred action itself may continue, and it limited its ruling to Texas. As of late October 2026, the district court had not yet issued the follow-up order that would put that ruling into practice, so renewals, including work permits, were still being processed in all states. That order could come at any time and could affect Texas recipients first.
File renewals on time
USCIS recommends filing a renewal 120 to 150 days before your current grant expires. Processing times can vary, so filing as early as USCIS allows is the safest practice. If your work permit expires before the renewal is approved, you generally cannot keep working until the new permit arrives.
What TPS is
TPS is a country-based program. When the Secretary of Homeland Security designates a country because of war, disaster, or similar conditions, eligible nationals of that country who are already in the United States can apply for protection from deportation and a work permit for a set period. Each country has its own designation, dates, and re-registration rules. TPS does not lead directly to a green card.
TPS status as of November 2026
TPS has changed dramatically in 2025 and 2026. The government terminated TPS for most designated countries, and the Supreme Court decision in Mullin v. Doe (June 25, 2026) allowed several of those terminations to take effect, including for Haiti and Syria, which ended on July 27, 2026 according to USCIS. Other terminations took effect on their own dates, including Venezuela, Afghanistan, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal, Cameroon, Burma (Myanmar), Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen. Some of these terminations had court challenges.
As of this writing, USCIS alerts say that TPS holders from El Salvador, Ukraine, and Sudan keep their protection, including work authorization, until the government announces a decision; check the USCIS country pages for updates. Lebanon is designated through November 27, 2026; check the USCIS country page for updates. Every one of these items can change with a court order or a Federal Register notice, which is why the country pages matter more than any summary, including this one.
How to check the rules that apply to you
- USCIS DACA page: current acceptance and renewal rules.
- USCIS Temporary Protected Status page: find your country and read its own page for dates, re-registration periods, and work permit extensions.
- Federal Register: the official legal notices behind TPS decisions.
- USCIS case status: follow your own case.
Deadlines that matter
- DACA holders: calendar your expiration date and file your renewal 120 to 150 days ahead.
- TPS holders: watch for your country’s re-registration period. Missing a re-registration window can end your protection, and late filing requires a good reason. Also watch your work permit: some TPS extensions automatically extend permits for a time, and the details appear only in the Federal Register notice and the USCIS country page.
- Everyone: if a court decision affects your program, official instructions usually follow within days on the USCIS pages. News reports and social media often move faster than the instructions, so wait for the official posting before changing your plans, and get qualified advice quickly if a deadline is near.
Keep learning with Center for Global Living
Explore more explainers in our Immigration Policy learning resources, and bookmark the USCIS pages above so you can check your program’s status whenever news breaks. Questions about our educational resources? Contact Center for Global Living.
Sources
- USCIS: Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), including renewal guidance
- Texas v. United States, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, decision on the DACA rule, January 17, 2025 (summarized on the USCIS DACA page)
- USCIS: Temporary Protected Status country pages
- Congressional Research Service: Temporary Protected Status report
- Federal Register: TPS designation, extension, and termination notices
Disclaimer
This article is educational information from Center for Global Living, a nonprofit organization. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. DACA and TPS status can change at any time through court orders and agency action. Confirm your current rules and deadlines at uscis.gov or with a qualified immigration attorney or a DOJ-recognized organization.