Tens of thousands of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients in Texas face the imminent threat of losing their legal right to work and access to in-state college tuition. This concerning development stems from a recent decision by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which has declared certain provisions of the 2022 DACA regulation unlawful. While protection from deportation remains, the ruling effectively severs it from crucial benefits like employment authorization and lawful presence.
Initially, the court’s injunction was limited to Texas, prompting federal immigration officials to propose a Texas-specific implementation plan. Under this plan, DACA recipients’ ability to secure work permits and maintain lawful presence would be directly tied to their recorded address with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Work Authorization in Jeopardy for Over 90,000 Texans
Texas is home to nearly 90,000 DACA recipients, making it the second-largest DACA population in the United States. Should the proposed changes take effect, individuals residing in Texas could lose their work authorization and lawful presence within a mere 15 days of moving into the state. New applicants and those seeking to renew DACA after a lapse would only be granted deferred action, leaving them unable to legally work or reside in the country.
The federal government intends to enforce these changes by scrutinizing the address on file with USCIS. Furthermore, if the current court-ordered stay protecting certain DACA recipients (those who received DACA before July 16, 2021) is lifted, they too could find their work permits revoked with just 15 days’ notice. While DACA renewals are currently proceeding as usual, the landscape of future protections remains uncertain, pending the court’s final decision on implementation.
The economic repercussions of this policy shift are profound. The American Immigration Council highlights that 97% of DACA-eligible individuals in Texas are employed, collectively contributing an estimated $8.2 billion in household income and approximately $2 billion annually in state, local, and federal taxes.
Education Access Under Significant Threat
Beyond employment, legal ambiguity is severely impacting educational access for DACA recipients. Since the injunction was issued in June 2025, at least four Texas colleges have already begun denying in-state tuition to DACA students, thereby restricting opportunities for individuals who have grown up and pursued their education within the state.
The American Immigration Council also notes that these developments are actively reshaping Texas’s higher education system. The Texas Department of Public Safety has further complicated matters by suspending the issuance of commercial driver’s licenses to non-citizens, including DACA recipients, further narrowing their career pathways.
Wider National Consequences are Looming
The implications extend far beyond Texas. If this model is adopted nationwide, over 530,000 DACA recipients across the country could be forced out of the workforce within two years. Such a widespread displacement would burden employers with billions in costs related to turnover, recruitment, and retraining. Crucial sectors like healthcare, education, and transportation, which significantly depend on DACA recipients, would face severe disruption, as underscored by the American Immigration Council.
The fate of DACA in Texas now rests with U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen, who is tasked with determining the future operational framework for the program within the state.