The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has created a $3 million Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) filing fee assistance fund for individuals across the California Community Colleges. The fund will cover the $495 DACA application filing fees for students, faculty and staff affiliated with a California community college.

Through the California Community College Immigration Services Project, nine Legal Service Providers have been contracted to provide immigration legal services, including DACA initial application, renewal assistance and consultations to screen for affirmative immigration relief, to immigrant students faculty and staff. Eligible students, faculty and staff can access these supports confidentially through identified host colleges in their region. The legal service providers have committed to seeing each case from start to finish as long as they were affiliated with a California community college at intake.

To access the DACA filing fee assistance, students, faculty and staff need to make an appointment with the closest identified host college within their region, which can be found on the Chancellor’s Office website. For questions regarding eligibility or issues with scheduling, please contact Alonso Garcia.

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Immigrant Legal Services - DACA Assistance Fund FAQs

The DACA assistance is a one-time allocation of $3 Million to support students, faculty, and staff across the California Community Colleges pay for the $495 filing fee.
  • Students
  • Faculty
  • Staff
  • Dual Enrolled students
  • Noncredit students
  • Adult education
The Fund supports both first-time applicants as well as those renewing their DACA within 150 days of their permit expiring.
According to USCIS, for individuals that have an initial DACA request currently pending with USCIS, their requests will remain on hold, in "pending" status, while the Southern District of Texas order remains in effect. With respect to individuals who have not yet filed for DACA, under the Court's order, USCIS may continue to accept first-time DACA applications, but may not grant any initial DACA requests at this time. It is unclear whether there is any benefit to applying for initial DACA at this time.
To access benefits from the Legal Services Projects, students, faculty, and staff need to make an appointment with their region's identified host college within 150 days of renewal status, which can be found on the Chancellor's Office website. 

Eligible candidates can schedule an appointment within their specific region and must choose a college that is closest to them. For questions regarding eligibility or issues with scheduling, please contact Alonso Garcia via email at algarcia@foundationccc.org.

In order to be eligible to receive assistance with the USCIS filing fee, eligible candidates must use one of the nine legal service providers.

If you filed before connecting with one of the nine chosen legal services providers, you are not eligible to receive a reimbursement of your fees.