Federal Judge Deals: On Wednesday, a federal judge, Andrew Hanen of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, once again ruled that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is unlawful.
This decision rejected a revised version of the policy that has protected hundreds of thousands of young people from deportation. Hanen declared that recent efforts by the Biden administration to preserve and codify the Obama-era program into a federal regulation were illegal.
DACA, established in 2012 by the Obama administration, protects certain young individuals brought to the United States illegally as children from deportation. We also recommend you to find out Wild Mini Tornado Hits Perth.
While Judge Hanen allowed the program to continue for existing recipients, he barred new applicants from applying. He cited concerns about the legality of the program, emphasizing that the Executive Branch cannot usurp the power given to Congress by the Constitution, even to fill a void.
In response to the ruling, the Biden administration expressed deep disappointment and reaffirmed its commitment to defending DACA from legal challenges. The administration pointed out that during its tenure, hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients have been able to live and work lawfully in the United States without fear of deportation.
The lawsuit to end DACA was initiated by seven Republican-leaning states, which argued that the updated program was implemented unlawfully and represented an overreach of executive authority. These states claimed financial losses due to the presence of immigrants permitted to stay in the country without legal authorization.
The states suing the program alleged significant costs, including healthcare and education, related to DACA recipients’ presence in the country without presenting concrete evidence tying these costs to DACA beneficiaries.
Judge Hanen had previously declared DACA illegal but allowed it to remain in place for existing beneficiaries while barring new applications. The recent ruling continues this approach.
The DACA program has faced numerous legal challenges over the years, including a Supreme Court deadlock in 2016 and a 5-4 ruling in 2020 that the Trump administration improperly ended DACA, allowing it to continue. In 2022, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Hanen’s earlier ruling, but the case was sent back to him to review changes made to the program by the Biden administration.
President Joe Biden and advocacy groups have called on Congress to pass permanent protections for DACA recipients, commonly referred to as “Dreamers.” However, Congress has failed multiple times to pass proposals like the DREAM Act to provide such protections. we also recommend you to check out Nintendo Direct 2023.
While this ruling is a setback for DACA beneficiaries, it does not mandate an immediate end to the program. Existing applicants can still maintain and renew their protection, but new applications will not be accepted.
The Biden administration is expected to appeal the decision to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, with the case potentially reaching the Supreme Court. Ultimately, higher courts will need to decide the fate of the DACA program, which continues to impact the lives of nearly 600,000 recipients as of March.
