USCIS Q1 FY2026 Data Shows Continued Freeze on Initial DACA Requests While Renewals Move Forward
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has released its Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) performance data for the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2026. This provides an updated snapshot of case intake, adjudications, and long-term program trends. Furthermore, the data confirms that more than 103,000 first-time DACA applications remain in a pending queue with no new grants issued since July 16, 2021. However, renewal adjudications continue at historically high approval rates.
The quarterly report, published by USCIS, reflects ongoing operational patterns that have remained largely unchanged in recent fiscal years. Initial applications remain frozen due to continuing litigation. In addition, renewal filings for existing recipients are being processed under current policy guidance.
First-Time Applications Remain Pending with No New Adjudications
According to the Q1 FY2026 figures, more than 103,000 individuals have first-time DACA requests pending. The pending volume has increased annually since 2021. Consistent with existing court-ordered limitations, USCIS continues to accept but not adjudicate initial DACA requests.
No first-time grants have been issued since mid-July 2021. As a result, individuals who have never previously received DACA remain unable to obtain deferred action or associated employment authorization through the program. Meanwhile, they continue to submit applications that remain in the system.
The sustained freeze underscores the operational distinction between intake and adjudication. While filings may continue to be accepted and receipted, they are not being approved or denied under current legal constraints.
Renewal Approvals Reach 98.3% in Q1 FY2026
In contrast to the frozen initial pipeline, DACA renewals are continuing to move forward. USCIS approved 35,648 renewal requests in the first quarter of FY2026, reflecting a 98.3% approval rate. This marks the highest renewal approval rate in the program’s history.
For current DACA recipients whose protection and employment authorization documents (EADs) are approaching expiration, the data indicates that renewal filings are being adjudicated consistently. Renewals remain the only functional pathway within the program. Therefore, recipients can maintain deferred action and work authorization if filing and eligibility requirements are met.
From an operational standpoint, the steady processing of renewals provides continuity for hundreds of thousands of individuals. These individuals rely on DACA-based employment authorization.
Long-Term Approval Trends Since 2012
Since DACA’s launch in August 2012, approximately 4.37 million approvals have been issued. The program’s demographic and geographic distribution remains highly concentrated.
Nearly 80 percent of all approvals have been issued to individuals born in Mexico. Moreover, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras collectively account for approximately 383,000 approvals. This makes Central America the second-largest regional share within the program.
Geographically, 58 percent of all approvals have been concentrated in five states: California, Texas, Illinois, New York, and Florida. California alone accounts for more than 1.24 million approvals, representing 28 percent of total program approvals to date.
These concentrations continue to shape both the practical impact of DACA and the broader policy discussions surrounding the program. This is particularly true in jurisdictions with large recipient populations.
Practical Implications for Applicants and Employers
For individuals who have never held DACA, the Q1 FY2026 data confirms that there is no adjudicative movement on initial applications. Pending cases remain in a frozen status. Additionally, no new grants of deferred action are being issued under current court directives.
For current recipients, however, renewal eligibility remains intact. The high approval rate suggests adjudicatory consistency and operational stability for renewal filings in this reporting period. Employers and HR professionals relying on valid DACA-based employment authorization should note that renewals continue to be processed. This remains true as long as filings are timely and complete.
Attorneys and compliance teams may also view quarterly fluctuations in intake volumes, approval rates, and pending inventories as indicators of operational patterns. These patterns could affect workforce planning and immigration case strategy.
Ongoing Monitoring and Future Updates
USCIS continues to publish quarterly DACA performance data, offering stakeholders insight into application volumes, adjudication outcomes, and historical trends. While the legal landscape surrounding DACA remains subject to ongoing litigation and policy developments, the Q1 FY2026 data reflects operational continuity on renewals. In addition, it reflects continued suspension of first-time grants.
Further updates are expected as USCIS releases subsequent quarterly reports. Immigration Professional Association will continue monitoring developments affecting DACA adjudications and operational procedures.
