When President Obama introduced Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in 2012, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pledged to refocus its deportation efforts on the biggest threats, such as those posing a risk to public safety and national security.

Now, according to The Washington Post, the Obama administration is continuing to shift its enforcement of immigration laws toward three groups:

• convicted criminals
• terrorism threats
• people who’ve recently crossed the border illegally

“In recent months, the DHS has taken steps to ensure that the majority of the United States’ 11.3 million undocumented immigrants can stay in this country,” says Jerry Markon, a reporter at The Washington Post.

This is good news for undocumented immigrants as they can continue to work hard and support their families with a greater possibility of receiving some type of deferred action in the future.

Next Steps
Currently, the only relief for undocumented immigrants is DACA, which is available to people brought to the U.S. as children. Learn more about the deferred action program and find out if you qualify, here.

If you don’t qualify for the 2012 version of deferred action, stay updated on the latest immigration news by subscribing to our deferred action blog.