The Department of Homeland Security has quietly ended the Deferred Action for Labor Enforcement (DALE) program, a crucial initiative launched under the Biden administration to protect undocumented workers who report labor violations.
As of July 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has ceased processing DALE applications, and all references to the program have been removed from its website—without any formal public announcement. This sudden rollback has left both immigrant communities and labor advocates deeply concerned.
DALE was designed to provide deportation protection and temporary work authorization to undocumented workers who cooperated with investigations into labor abuses such as wage theft, workplace safety violations, and employer retaliation. The goal was to empower vulnerable workers to speak out without fear of immigration consequences.
Now, with the program dismantled, that protection is gone.
Labor rights advocates warn that the end of DALE will have a chilling effect. “Workers are being silenced,” said one labor organizer. “This change protects abusive employers and undermines the enforcement of labor laws.”
Immigration attorneys and worker advocacy groups have reportedly paused filing new DALE-related requests due to growing uncertainty and fear of potential retaliation against their clients.
This quiet policy shift reflects broader concerns about the erosion of protections for undocumented workers and raises urgent questions about how labor standards will be upheld without whistleblower protections.
If you or someone you know was considering applying for protection under the DALE program or has questions about reporting labor violations, speak with a qualified immigration attorney to explore alternative options.