Texas DACA families face mounting fear as renewals stall and legal challenges loom

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, created under Barack Obama, currently shields roughly 500,000 people nationwide, with about 80,000 residing in Texas. Recipients such as nurse and farm owner Itzayana Mondragón have built lives and families, but renewal appointments are being repeatedly delayed, causing many to lose their permits and jobs. ICE has recently detained several DACA holders during routine checks, heightening anxiety in Latino communities.

Legal experts like Whitney Drake argue the delays are a tactic to undermine the program, while Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s 2018 lawsuit seeks to end DACA’s benefits in the state. If the suit succeeds, workers could lose employment, farms could be abandoned, and families may be forced to relocate. Some local business leaders warn that deportations would erode the labor pool and affect upcoming elections.