U.S. Supreme Court on DACA: Blocks Trump’s Cruel Attempt to Upend the Lives of 650,000 Community Members Across America

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Supreme Court today blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a critical initiative that has offered deportation protection and work authorization to hundreds of thousands of young people who arrived in the United States as children.

In a 5-4 decision, the Court found that the Trump administration’s attempt to terminate DACA was unlawful, and the termination was arbitrary and capricious. The Court’s decision means that hundreds of thousands of young people in the United States will temporarily keep work authorization and protection from deportation. The Court emphasized that the Trump administration can still end DACA, but it must go through the right process to do so.

The following statement is from Beth Werlin, executive director of the American Immigration Council:

“The Supreme Court’s decision provides temporary peace of mind for thousands of Dreamers across the country and is a testament to the hard work and perseverance of young immigrants and their allies across the country. The overwhelming majority of Americans support allowing undocumented immigrants brought here as children to continue to live and work in the United States—and look forward to a more permanent solution.

“The president and Congress must ensure that Dreamers are able to live and work in the United States permanently. The U.S. House of Representatives has done its job by passing H.R. 6. The Senate should take up the bill immediately.”

Sonia Martinez, DACA recipient and nursing assistant in Denver, Colorado, said:

“Today’s decision means the world to me and my family. Not only does it take away the weight and threat of potentially being separated from our families, friends, and communities, but it allows us to continue contributing to the communities that have given so much to us.”

The American Immigration Council has a range of research and other resources on DACA, including policy experts available to speak on policies designed to protect Dreamers, the fate of DACA, and what is at stake for approximately 650,000 DACA beneficiaries across the country. The Council also has data on demographic and economic contributions of DACA recipients in each U.S. state and nationwide.

###

For more information, contact:

Maria Frausto at the American Immigration Council, [email protected] or 202-507-7526.