Deferred Action for Labor Enforcement (DALE) is a U.S. government process that provides temporary protection from deportation and a work permit to non-citizen workers who are cooperating in a labor agency investigation at their workplace.
How DALE works
- 1. Encourages Reporting
- The program empowers non-citizen workers to report abusive and unlawful labor practices without fear of immigration-related retaliation from their employers.
- 2. Grants Deferred Action
- Eligible workers receive a temporary, four-year grant of deferred action, meaning immigration enforcement and deportation are paused during that period.
- 3. Authorizes Employment
- Along with deferred action, approved workers are issued a work permit that is valid for four years.
- 4. Initiates Through a Labor Agency
- The process begins when a worker reports a workplace violation to a federal, state, or local labor agency (such as the Department of Labor or OSHA).
- 5. Coordinates with Immigration Authorities
- The labor agency may then issue a Statement of Interest to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
- This statement is reviewed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) when considering the worker’s deferred action request.
