FLORIDA — Immigrants who qualify for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program can now apply for the first time after a federal judge ordered the Department of Homeland Security on December 4 to fully restore it.

U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services stopped accepting new applicants after the Trump administration announced it would rescind the program.

Following the judge's decision, U.S. Citizenship announced on its website that new applications would be accepted starting Monday, December 7. 

“I couldn’t believe it,” Bryan Rodriguez, a Mainland High School senior, said. “I called to tell my dad myself and he couldn’t believe it either.”

Rodriguez has already started the application process. 

He hopes it will help him achieve his dreams of becoming an engineer or chemist in the future. In the meantime, if approved, he said DACA could help him get a driver’s license, attend college and receive college scholarships. 

Rodriguez said the driver's license would be a great help because right now he walks 40 minutes to school and 20 minutes to work.

“I never lost faith,” he said.

Camila Pachon Silva said anyone who qualifies should apply. 

“You don’t want to take your chances and lose this opportunity,” she said.

In a statement, a DHS spokesperson said, “DHS wholly disagrees with this decision.”

They also said DHS will work with the Department of Justice "on next steps to appeal.”

Silva said their window to do so may only be about a month, as President-Elect Joe Biden has reiterated his support for DACA and even stated he plans to create a pathway to citizenship within his first 100 days in office.