HOUSTON – Thursday is the last day that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will accept renewal applications for DACA.
For hundreds of thousands of people, getting that DACA renewal means getting another two years to live and work in the United States.
Unless lawmakers get an extension, more than 100,000 recipients could face deportation.
Meanwhile, undocumented immigrants are not backing down. They held a rally Thursday morning on the Dunlavy Bridge overlooking Highway 59 with signs and banners, urging Congress to pass a clean dream act now.
Members of “United We Dream” held signs and yelled "What do we want? Clean act rights!" during the rally.
The clean dream act is immigration reform that would not include a border wall or border security and it would allow DACA recipients to stay in the U.S.
The DACA deadline is part of what the Department of Homeland Security is calling an "orderly wind-down" of the program, which the Trump administration announced at the beginning of September that it would be rescinding.
The program will phase out over the next six months, leaving the fate of DACA recipients in the hands of Congress.
"Today we're going to show determination, we're going to show that we have pride, that we are here to stay. We're going to fight for our home because Texas is our home," said Daniel Candelaria of United We Dream.
"All they want to do is be productive American citizens, that's all they want. They want a chance at life, that's what we all want," neighbor Eric Molina said.
No new applications were accepted after the announcement on Sept. 5 and renewals are being accepted until Thursday for certain categories of recipients. If legislative action is not taken, DACA recipients could begin to lose benefits on March 6, 2018.
Opponents of DACA say it is illegal and by letting undocumented children stay in the country, others who enter illegally will think their children can stay too.
"I just feel if you reward people for breaking the law, it's just going to happen in other ways, in other loopholes," says neighbor Aubrey Walker.
Supporters of DACA said the application fee, which is nearly $500, is difficult for many to pay.
DACA supporters also said they want Homeland Security to specify what would happen to recipients if they could not renew their applications and their statuses expire.
Federal officials said requests must be properly filed and physically received by the agency. Renewal requests that are granted will be valid for two years, unless otherwise terminated or revoked.
President Trump has called the 5-year-old system unfair and he said he is driven by the concern for the millions of Americans victimized by the system.
He, too, urged Congress to come up with a better replacement as he begins to phase out the program.
Those who need to renew DACA can do so here.
