
A federal appeals court has dealt a significant blow to the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, potentially jeopardizing the status of hundreds of thousands of young immigrants.
At a Glance
- The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against President Biden’s 2022 version of DACA
- The decision affects approximately 500,000 “Dreamers” in the United States
- Current DACA beneficiaries can renew permits, but new applications remain suspended
- The ruling opens the possibility for DACA to be appealed to the Supreme Court for a third time
- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton hailed the ruling as a “major victory”
Court Ruling Against DACA
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans has unanimously ruled that President Biden’s 2022 version of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program exceeds executive authority. The decision, made by a panel consisting of two Republican-appointed judges and one Democratic-appointed judge, deals a significant blow to the Obama-era policy that provides amnesty and a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. as children.
This ruling affects approximately 500,000 “Dreamers” currently benefiting from the DACA program.
Like American citizens don’t also have dreams…
While current DACA recipients can still renew their permits, the court’s decision maintains the prohibition on new applications, leaving many young immigrants in a state of uncertainty regarding their future in the United States.
The court’s decision opens the possibility for DACA to be appealed to the Supreme Court for a third time. This development comes at a crucial time, as President-elect Trump, who has promised mass deportations, is set to assume office. During his previous term, Trump attempted to end DACA but also expressed support for allowing Dreamers to stay in the U.S., highlighting the complex political nature of the issue.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who led the challenge against DACA, hailed the ruling as a “major victory.” This sentiment reflects the ongoing debate surrounding immigration policy and executive authority in the United States. The Department of Homeland Security has not yet commented on the ruling, leaving many to speculate about the Biden administration’s next steps.
Historical Context and Future Outlook
DACA was originally introduced by President Obama in 2012 due to Congressional inaction on comprehensive immigration legislation. President Biden’s 2022 update to DACA was part of a formal rule-making process aimed at strengthening its legal standing. However, this latest ruling demonstrates the ongoing legal challenges faced by the program.
The Supreme Court has previously been involved in DACA-related cases, deadlocking on an expanded version in 2016 and ruling in 2020 that the Trump administration improperly ended the program. With this new ruling, the fate of DACA and its beneficiaries remains uncertain, potentially leading to another Supreme Court showdown.
As the legal battle continues, hundreds of thousands of young immigrants find themselves in limbo, caught between the promise of a path to citizenship and the possibility of deportation.
Trump has big decisions to make!