Bennet, Neguse, Colorado Democrats Demand Answers on DACA Renewal Backlog

Jun 18, 2026 | Press Releases

Denver - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and Colorado U.S. Representative Joe Neguse led the state's Democratic Congressional delegation - U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper and U.S. Representatives Diana DeGette, Jason Crow, and Brittany Pettersen - in demanding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to immediately expedite Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal applications for Coloradans currently in limbo.

Colorado is home to more than 12,000 DACA recipients. Under the Trump Administration, USCIS review of DACA applications has dramatically slowed, with wait times for renewal applications increasing from 15 days in Fiscal Year 2025 to more than two months in Fiscal Year 2026. That's a 360% increase in processing times in just the first five months of the fiscal year. These delays are causing job losses and workforce disruptions, as DACA recipients are left without valid work permits through no fault of their own.

"We write to express our deep concerns about the growing backlog of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal applications for hundreds of Coloradans that United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has not yet processed…Colorado is home to over 12,000 DACA recipients. They are Americans in every way but their immigration status. Many only know this country as their home, and they contribute to this nation by paying taxes and serving in critical roles, such as police officers, teachers, and nurses. Our constituent services teams regularly hear from hardworking Coloradans concerned about the status of their renewal applications and the threat that the ongoing delays pose to their families," wrote the Colorado lawmakers.

For 14 years, DACA recipients, also known as Dreamers, have strengthened communities across the country, fueled the economy, and built lives in the United States. 87% of DACA recipients nationwide are in the workforce, and they contribute approximately $17 billion annually to the economy. Across Colorado, Dreamers are pillars of their communities.

"The USCIS backlog of DACA renewal requests is hurting many students, health care workers, first responders, law enforcement officers, and wildland firefighters during what is expected to be a severe wildfire season. These DACA recipients are pillars of their communities, and their lives are now on hold while their DACA renewal applications remain pending with USCIS. These delays affect not only DACA recipients themselves, but all Coloradans," continued the Colorado lawmakers.

The state's Democratic congressional delegation closed their letter by reiterating their call for the agencies to streamline processing and seeking answers regarding any changes in policy or procedure that may be contributing to delays, as well as the extent to which immigration enforcement actions have the ability to effect these individuals.

Bennet has consistently fought to protect DACA recipients and ensure they can continue to build their futures in the only country they ever called home. This month, Bennet joined Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) as well as U.S. Representatives Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas) and Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) in leading over 50 colleagues to press Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA)'s recent decision to weaken legal protections for DACA recipients. In May 2026, Bennet introduced three bills which target critical reforms at DHS, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP); the Keeping Immigrants and Destinations Safe (KIDS) Act; the Training, Responsibility, Uniforms, and Standards for Transparency (TRUST) Act; and the Oversight, Protection, and Enforcement Notification (OPEN) Act. In March 2026, Bennet joined Senators Masto and Durbin, as well as 38 of their Democratic colleagues to send a letter to outgoing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and USCIS Director Joseph Edlow demanding that the Department reduce the delays in processing renewal applications under the DACA program. In January, Bennet joined his colleagues in introducing the Providing Useful Budgets for Localities to Invest in Cops by Substituting Appropriations from Federal Enforcement To Yield Results (PUBLIC SAFETY) Act, legislation to redirect nearly $75 billion in funding passed in the Republicans' One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) from ICE and send it instead to local law enforcement programs to help hire and train 200,000 local police officers in communities across the country.

In November 2025, Bennet joined his colleagues in introducing the bicameral Restoring Access to Detainees Act, legislation to ensure DHS allows noncitizens who have been detained to contact their legal counsel and families. In August 2025, Bennet joined the Immigration Enforcement Identification Safety (IEIS) Act to prohibit immigration enforcement officials from wearing masks and to require them to wear visible identification. In April 2025, Bennet and U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) also led bicameral colleagues in urging Former Attorney General Pam Bondi to address the Executive Office for Immigration Review's decision to fire key immigration judges. In February 2025, Bennet joined his Senate colleagues to introduce the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, which would reinstate DHS's long-standing policies to prevent ICE from making arrests at sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, and places of worship.

The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear Secretary Mullin and Director Edlow:

We write to express our deep concerns about the growing backlog of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal applications for hundreds of Coloradans that United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has not yet processed. We urge USCIS to expedite the processing of these applications.

Colorado is home to over 12,000 DACA recipients. They are Americans in every way but their immigration status. Many only know this country as their home, and they contribute to this nation by paying taxes and serving in critical roles, such as police officers, teachers, and nurses. Our constituent services teams hear every day from hardworking Coloradans concerned about the status of their renewal applications and the threat that the ongoing delays pose to their families.

As you know, the DACA program grants two-year, renewable work permits to undocumented adults who were brought to the United States as children. DACA recipients must comply with strict background checks and maintain clean criminal records, and they must re-apply to renew their status every two years. Since its creation fourteen years ago this week, the DACA program has allowed more than 800,000 previously undocumented individuals to remain active, contributing members of their communities without fear of deportation.

Under the Trump administration, USCIS review of DACA applications has slowed to a crawl. Reports show wait times for renewal applications have increased to a median of 70 days between October 2025 and February 2026, up from a median of 15 days in fiscal year 2025. This leaves DACA recipients in legal limbo and undermines the intent of the DACA program.

The USCIS backlog of DACA renewal requests is hurting many students, health care workers, first responders, law enforcement officers, and wildland firefighters during what is expected to be a severe wildfire season. These DACA recipients are pillars of their communities, and their lives are now on hold while their DACA renewal applications remain pending with USCIS. These delays affect not only DACA recipients themselves, but all Coloradans.

We urge you to expedite all DACA renewal applications without delay, and we request answers to the below questions no later than June 30, 2026:

1. How long is the current average USCIS review period for a DACA renewal application?
2. What is the scope of the recent delays, and what are the primary drivers? Has anything significant changed in how DACA renewal applications are processed that has contributed to the backlogs or delays?
3. Is there guidance we should provide to constituents who contact our offices about DACA renewal delays?
4. For individuals whose DACA renewal has lapsed due to processing delays, are they at risk of accruing Unlawful Presence (ULP) which may lead to removal, detention, or other enforcement actions?

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter

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