The Migration Policy Institute has published a state-by-state breakdown of DACA recipients and the population eligible for the programme, offering the clearest geographic picture yet of who lives and works under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

The data tool, released by MPI, maps two distinct groups in every US state: current DACA recipients holding active status, and the broader eligible population who meet the programme's criteria. For policymakers, advocates and researchers, the distinction matters. It shows where eligible young people have enrolled in the programme — and where they have not.

What does the tool actually show?

MPI organises the figures by state, allowing users to compare participation rates across the country. The tool covers:

• Active DACA recipients by state
• The eligible population by state, including those who qualify but do not hold status
• Comparative state-level data drawn from official programme records

The dataset gives state-level context that national totals obscure. A programme often described in Washington as a single national question looks, in MPI's breakdown, like dozens of different state stories — each with its own workforce, schools and communities tied to the outcome.

Why the timing matters

DACA, first announced in 2012, protects people brought to the United States as children from deportation and grants work authorisation. The programme has spent years in legal limbo, with federal courts restricting new applications while allowing existing recipients to renew. That makes state-level data a practical resource: it quantifies exactly how many people in each state depend on the programme's survival.

Because first-time applications remain blocked under court orders, the gap between recipients and the eligible population has grown. MPI's state tables make that gap visible, county by county of the national debate.

What does this change for readers?

For DACA recipients, employers and state officials, the tool changes the information environment rather than the rules. It provides exact, state-level figures that journalists, researchers and policymakers can cite when they argue about the programme's future. Anyone seeking current eligibility or renewal guidance should consult US Citizenship and Immigration Services, the official authority administering DACA.

MPI publishes the full dataset, "DACA Recipients & Eligible Population, by State," on its website, where users can explore the numbers for their own state.