WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, along with U.S. Representatives Brittany Pettersen, Joe Neguse, Jason Crow, and Diana DeGette demanded the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) immediately expedite Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal applications for Coloradans currently in limbo.
“We write to express our deep concerns about the growing backlog of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal applications for hundreds of Coloradans that United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has not yet processed. We urge USCIS to expedite the processing of these applications,” wrote the lawmakers.
Under the Trump administration, USCIS review of DACA applications has slowed to a crawl. Wait times for renewal applications increased from 15 days in Fiscal Year 2025 to more than two months in Fiscal Year 2026. That’s a 360% increase in processing times in just the first five months of the fiscal year. These delays are causing job losses and workforce disruptions, as DACA recipients are left without valid work permits through no fault of their own.
For 14 years, DACA recipients (“Dreamers”) have strengthened communities across the country, fueled the economy, and built lives in the United States. 87% of Dreamers nationwide are in the workforce, and they contribute approximately $17 billion annually to the economy. Colorado is home to more than 12,000 Dreamers.
“The USCIS backlog of DACA renewal requests is hurting many students, health care workers, first responders, law enforcement officers, and wildland firefighters during what is expected to be a severe wildfire season,” wrote the lawmakers.
The lawmakers closed their letter by reiterating their call for the agencies to streamline processing and by demanding answers about which policy or procedure is causing the delays. The lawmakers also asked how immigration enforcement actions could impact individuals waiting on their DACA renewal applications to be processed.
Hickenlooper has called for a legal pathway for citizenship for Dreamers, as well as TPS recipients, and essential workers, and is a strong supporter of DACA. This month, Hickenlooper advocated for the temporary protections from deportation provided by DACA to be upheld. After the Trump administration announced they would stop processing new DACA applications, Hickenlooper demanded that processing resume.
The full letter is available HERE and below:
Dear Secretary Mullin and Director Edlow,
We write to express our deep concerns about the growing backlog of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal applications for hundreds of Coloradans that United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has not yet processed. We urge USCIS to expedite the processing of these applications.
Colorado is home to over 12,000 DACA recipients. They are Americans in every way but their immigration status. Many only know this country as their home, and they contribute to this nation by paying taxes and serving in critical roles, such as police officers, teachers, and nurses. Our constituent services teams regularly hear from hardworking Coloradans concerned about the status of their renewal applications and the threat that the ongoing delays pose to their families.
As you know, the DACA program grants two-year, renewable work permits to undocumented adults who were brought to the United States as children. DACA recipients must comply with strict background checks and maintain clean criminal records, and they must re-apply to renew their status every two years. Since its creation fourteen years ago this week, the DACA program has allowed more than 800,000 previously undocumented individuals to remain active, contributing members of their communities without fear of deportation.
Under the Trump administration, USCIS review of DACA applications has slowed to a crawl. Reports show wait times for renewal applications have increased to a median of 70 days between October 2025 and February 2026, up from a median of 15 days in fiscal year 2025. This leaves DACA recipients in legal limbo and undermines the intent of the DACA program.
The USCIS backlog of DACA renewal requests is hurting many students, health care workers, first responders, law enforcement officers, and wildland firefighters during what is expected to be a severe wildfire season. These DACA recipients are pillars of their communities, and their lives are now on hold while their DACA renewal applications remain pending with USCIS. These delays affect not only DACA recipients themselves, but all Coloradans.
We urge you to expedite all DACA renewal applications without delay, and we request answers to the below questions no later than June 30, 2026:
How long is the current average USCIS review period for a DACA renewal application?
What is the scope of the recent delays, and what are the primary drivers? Has anything significant changed in how DACA renewal applications are processed that has contributed to the backlogs or delays?
Is there guidance we should provide to constituents who contact our offices about DACA renewal delays?
For individuals whose DACA renewal has lapsed due to processing delays, are they at risk of accruing Unlawful Presence (ULP) which may lead to removal, detention, or other enforcement actions?
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
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