Trump takes DACA to the Supreme Court in Effort to Drive Immigrant Youth Out of America
On Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a brief to end DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that has protected 700,000 Dreamers from deportation and allowed them to work over the last seven years. The Supreme Court will hear arguments in November and a ruling that could end the program is expected in June 2020, just months ahead of the election. The following is a statement from Pili Tobar, Deputy Director of America’s Voice:
President Trump made it clear that deporting immigrants is his policy goal as President and his electoral strategy in the run up to 2020. Now, in service of these objectives, he’s put the full weight of the Department of Justice behind the drive to put DACA recipients into the Trump deportation pipeline. Like their lawsuits against the Affordable Care Act, the Trump Administration is forging ahead to kill Obama-era programs that are working, that are vital to millions of Americans and the communities they live in, and are popular with voters.
The 700,000 who received DACA grew up in the United States and have paid fees, submitted fingerprints and complied with the program’s rigorous requirements for years. But Trump wants them sent back to countries that in many cases they don’t even remember. Killing DACA would have ripple effects harming millions in their families and communities who have poured their heart and soul into protecting Dreamers over the past decade or more. Dreamers are building their communities, contributing mightily to the economy, serving as first responders and defending our nation in the military. Instead of threatening them with deportation, we should be formally recognizing them as the Americans they already are.
