Understanding the Active DACA Recipients Count
The active DACA recipients count stands at approximately 436,350 as of June 30, 2026. This is the federal government’s most current picture of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, published by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The figure, drawn from USCIS’s Chief Data and Analytics Office, reflects individuals whose DACA status remains valid on that date. It leaves out anyone who has since gotten lawful permanent residence or U.S. citizenship. Hundreds of thousands of Dreamers depend on this program for work authorization and protection from removal. The numbers offer a meaningful window into how many people remain in line — and how much renewal activity lies immediately ahead.
Background
The government established DACA in 2012 as a flexible policy. It allows certain individuals who entered the United States as children to receive temporary protection from deportation and work authorization, typically in two-year periods. DACA is not a pathway to permanent residence on its own. Recipients must renew their status on a rolling basis to maintain active protection. The program has run under ongoing legal doubt for several years. Federal courts have issued differing rulings on its validity, sometimes affecting USCIS’s ability to process initial requests versus renewals. Despite that litigation landscape, USCIS has continued to review renewal filings for existing recipients. This data reflects the population with status that has not yet lapsed as of the report date.
What Is Changing
This release is a regular data release rather than a policy change or regulatory action. USCIS regularly releases active recipient counts as part of its transparency and data reporting function. The June 30, 2026 picture shows the number of individuals with DACA expiration dates falling on or after that date, counted as of the same date. The dataset is broken down by the month each recipient’s current grant is scheduled to expire. This provides a forward-looking view of renewal demand through mid-2028.
USCIS notes that totals may not sum precisely due to rounding. Counts can also differ from prior periods because of system updates and post-decision outcomes — meaning USCIS removes individuals whose circumstances changed after an initial grant, such as receiving a green card or citizenship, from the active count. USCIS’s ELIS and CLAIMS3 systems gave the data in July 2026.
Who Is Affected
The active DACA recipients count of 436,350 individuals reflected in this data hold current, still-valid DACA grants as of June 30, 2026. They are largely long-term U.S. residents who arrived as children. Many have built careers, families, and community ties entirely within the United States. The lapse or delay of a renewal also directly affects employers. Because DACA grants tie directly to recipients’ Employment Authorization Documents, such a lapse immediately disrupts an employer’s ability to legally continue that person’s job.
This count clearly leaves out individuals who have obtained lawful permanent resident status or U.S. citizenship. The 436,350 figure represents people who remain dependent on the DACA program itself for their continued presence and work authorization. Legal representatives who help DACA recipients are also affected, indirectly but in real ways, by changes in this population. So are HR teams managing I-9 compliance for DACA-employed workers.
Active DACA Recipients — FY2026 Q3 Infographics
The six charts below break down active DACA recipient data for the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, including a summary and breakdowns by country of birth, state, metro area, sex and marital status, and age. Swipe or scroll the charts sideways, or use the arrows and dots below to move between them. Each chart can be opened at full size in a new tab.
Source: DHS / USCIS, Office of Performance and Quality — CLAIMS3 and ELIS data, queried July 2026. The underlying quarterly reports are published on the USCIS Immigration and Citizenship Data page.
What the Active DACA Recipients Count Means for Renewals
The expiration breakdown built into this data is where the real practical importance lies. Of the roughly 436,350 active recipients, part of the active DACA recipients count, a large share of expirations is grouped in the near term. Approximately 102,860 recipients have grants expiring between June and December 2026. They must either already have renewals in process or start them without delay. The single largest monthly cohort in the dataset — approximately 66,400 recipients — has grants expiring in June 2028. This suggests a significant wave of renewal filings will begin approaching roughly a year before that date.
USCIS guidance has historically recommended filing for renewal 150 to 180 days before the current grant expires. For the tens of thousands with expirations in late 2026 and early 2027, that window is either already open or opening imminently. A late or incomplete renewal filing risks a gap in employment authorization. This can have immediate consequences for both the recipient's job and the employer's I-9 compliance posture.
The ongoing federal litigation surrounding DACA's legal status adds a layer of uncertainty that does not appear in the raw numbers. Recipients and their employers should be aware that court decisions affecting the program's administrative authority could affect processing timelines or filing eligibility. This can happen even if nothing appears to change on a given filing date. Anyone with a renewal approaching should not treat the current litigation environment as a reason to delay. In fact, the opposite is generally true.
Open questions remain about whether new initial DACA grants will be available to first-time applicants going forward. That matter has been in legal flux independent of the renewal question. This dataset reflects only currently active recipients and does not speak to that population.
Tracking the Active DACA Recipients Count Going Forward
USCIS publishes the active DACA recipients count quarterly. The next update will reflect the population as of September 30, 2026. Stakeholders should monitor that release for any material shift in active recipient numbers. Such shifts could signal adjudication backlogs, increased program exits through green card approvals, or other systemic changes. Broader developments in the federal litigation over DACA's legality remain the most consequential external variable. Recipients and employers should expect that court rulings could affect program operations on relatively short notice, as has occurred previously.
How Immigration Professional Association Can Help
Immigration Professional Association works directly with DACA recipients navigating the renewal process. This includes cases involving prior gaps in status, travel questions, or complications arising from the program's ongoing legal uncertainty. We also advise employers on I-9 compliance planning for DACA-employed workers. This becomes urgent when renewal timelines tighten.
If your DACA grant is expiring in 2026 or early 2027, act now. Don't wait for the expiration date to appear on the calendar. Our team can review your renewal eligibility and help you prepare a complete and timely filing. We can also flag any case-specific issues before they become problems. Employers managing a workforce that includes DACA recipients are equally welcome to reach out. We can help your HR team understand what documentation to track, and when. Contact Immigration Professional Association today. Speak with someone who understands the specific circumstances DACA recipients and their employers face right now.
