Yesterday, US District Judge John D. Bates ordered the Trump administration to continue the Obama-era program known as DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). Calling the government’s decision to end DACA “virtually unexplained,” Judge Bates held that it was “unlawful.” He did, however, stay his ruling for 90 days so the Department of Homeland Security could have the opportunity to provide more of a basis for ending the program, at which time Judge Bates would reevaluate their reasoning.
This is the third time a judge has ruled against the Trump administration in its attempts to rescind DACA and its protections. DACA provides two-year work permits, which are renewable, as well as protections against deportation, for nearly 700,000 “dreamers,” the name by which DACA-eligible undocumented immigrants brought to the the US as children are known.
This ruling is more expansive than others that came before it. If the government fails to provide stronger reasoning within the 90-day period Judge Bates set, he will not only rescind the government-issued memo that terminated DACA but also require Homeland Security to enroll new applicants. It is estimated that thousands of individuals may be eligible to apply for DACA’s protections.
See National Association for the Advancement of Colored People v. Trump et al on Justia Dockets
Additional Reading
Federal Judge: Trump Administration Must Accept New DACA Applications, The Washington Post, April 24, 2018
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