DACA Attorney in Murrieta

Local Immigration Counsel for Dreamers in Riverside County

At The Khan Law Firm, we handle DACA matters for recipients and their families throughout Murrieta, Temecula, and Southern California. Attorney Nasir Khan-Montoya’s academic foundation in international human rights and immigration law, combined with immigration clinic work on real cases before he entered private practice, gives our Dreamer clients legal depth alongside genuine personal investment in their matters. We’re also a full-service immigration firm, which means when your circumstances change, we can address what comes next without you starting over somewhere new.

Spanish-speaking clients can work with Attorney Khan-Montoya directly in Spanish. Our firm serves clients across Riverside County, San Diego County, Orange County, and Los Angeles County.

Ready to protect your DACA status? Call our Murrieta immigration attorneys at (951) 433-7124 to schedule a consultation.

What DACA Provides & Where the Program Stands in 2026

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was established in June 2012. It gives eligible undocumented individuals who arrived in the U.S. as children two things: temporary protection from deportation and a renewable Employment Authorization Document (EAD) that allows lawful work. DACA doesn’t create immigration status or a direct path to a green card or citizenship. It is a two-year, renewable grant of deferred action, administered by USCIS on Form I-821D.

As of 2026, USCIS continues to accept and process DACA renewal requests along with accompanying EAD applications. In January 2025, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals found major parts of the DACA rule unlawful but kept in place the stay that allows current recipients nationwide to continue renewing. The court’s findings on work authorization were more limited in scope, applying specifically to Texas. Current grants of DACA and related EADs remain valid until they expire unless individually terminated. Because the litigation in Texas v. United States is ongoing, recipients should stay informed and work with an immigration attorney as the legal landscape continues to develop.

USCIS also accepts initial DACA requests for first-time applicants but doesn’t currently process them under the existing court order. Anyone considering an initial application should consult an immigration attorney to understand their options.

DACA Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for DACA renewal, an applicant must meet all of the following criteria. USCIS evaluates each case with discretion, so meeting these requirements doesn’t guarantee approval.

• Age at entry: You must have entered the U.S. before turning 16
• Continuous residence: You must have lived continuously in the U.S. since June 15, 2007
• Education or military service: You must be currently enrolled in school, have a diploma, earned a GED, or been honorably discharged from the U.S. military
• Criminal history: No felony convictions, no significant misdemeanor convictions, and no more than two other misdemeanor convictions
• Public safety: You must not pose a threat to national security or public safety
• Prior DACA status: For renewals, your DACA must be currently valid or have expired less than one year ago. If it expired more than one year ago, the application is treated as a renewal-as-initial request, which USCIS accepts but doesn’t currently process

Anyone with prior arrests, a criminal record, or complex immigration circumstances should speak with an attorney before filing. Issues that seem minor can affect eligibility in ways that aren’t obvious from the form instructions alone.

Why Murrieta Dreamers Choose The Khan Law Firm

Attorney Khan-Montoya earned his B.A. from UC Berkeley and his J.D. from American University’s Washington College of Law, where he concentrated in International Law, Human Rights, and Immigration. During law school, he served as a Dean’s Fellow for the International Human Rights and Immigration Law Clinic, working directly on real immigration cases. That hands-on experience before private practice translates into practical judgment, not just textbook knowledge, when handling DACA renewals and the immigration questions that follow.

Our Team

Our firm also includes Kelvin Monroy, Esq., providing additional counsel capacity for our clients. Attorney Khan-Montoya is fluent in Spanish, conversant in Italian, and building proficiency in Arabic and Hebrew, reflecting our commitment to serving a genuinely diverse client community.

Full-Range Immigration Services

What sets us apart for DACA clients is our range. We handle DACA renewals alongside Advance Parole, adjustment of status, deportation defense, green cards, asylum, U-Visas, VAWA, and citizenship. When a client’s situation evolves, whether that’s a travel need, a relationship that opens a new pathway, or a change in circumstances that calls for a different approach, we can respond without the client having to find new representation.

Clients have described our firm as honest, thorough, responsive, and genuinely caring and have noted feeling informed and confident throughout their cases. That consistency matters when your work authorization and protection from deportation are on the line.

Schedule a DACA Consultation in Murrieta

DACA renewals should be filed 120 to 150 days before your expiration date. Waiting creates real risk of a lapse in work authorization, and anyone with prior law enforcement contact, travel questions, or a potential pathway beyond DACA benefits from an early conversation. We serve clients in Murrieta, Temecula, and across Riverside, San Diego, Orange, and Los Angeles Counties, and we offer consultations in English and Spanish.

Contact The Khan Law Firm at (951) 433-7124 to schedule your DACA consultation with an immigration attorney who knows this area and this work.