Nevada's DACA Community Remains Steady Amid National Decline in Active Recipients

There are approximately 525,210 active Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This number reflects a decline from the program's peak in 2018, when active recipients exceeded 700,000.

DACA, established in 2012, provides temporary protection from deportation and work authorization to eligible individuals who were brought to the United States as children without legal immigration status. It does not offer a pathway to permanent residency or citizenship. Recipients originate from nearly 200 countries, with about 81% (roughly 426,570) born in Mexico. The next largest groups come from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.

Active DACA recipients reside in every U.S. state, as well as Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. California has the largest number at approximately 147,440 (about 28% of the total), followed by Texas (around 87,890), Illinois, Florida, and New York. In fiscal year 2024, there were 289,651 DACA renewals, a slight decrease compared to prior years.

Nevada has 10,290 active recipients, ranking it 12th nationally. On a per-capita basis, Nevada ranks high among states, often trailing only California and Texas in recipients per 100,000 residents. Many Nevada recipients live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area.

Nevada provides supportive policies for DACA recipients, including eligibility for in-state tuition rates at public colleges and universities. Senate Bill 347, which took effect in 2021, allows qualifying undocumented students, including DACA recipients, to pay in-state tuition if they graduate from a Nevada high school. This applies regardless of whether the student or their family is considered a bona fide resident of the state.

A later law, Assembly Bill 226, signed in 2023, expanded access further. It permits DACA recipients and certain other eligible individuals to qualify for in-state tuition after one year of residency in Nevada.

The program's long-term future remains uncertain due to ongoing legal challenges, but DACA continues to support economic participation and community integration for recipients in states like Nevada.