Supreme Court Rules in Favor of “Dreamers”

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled 5-4 to protect the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which prevents the deportation of approximately 700,000 qualified children of immigrants, also known as “Dreamers.”

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled 5-4 to protect the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which prevents the deportation of approximately 700,000 qualified children of immigrants, also known as “Dreamers.”

In its ruling, written by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., the Court contended that the Trump Administration did not follow proper administrative procedures required to end the DACA program when it attempted to do so two years ago.  The Court did not say the administration could not end the program, just that the way it tried to end it two years ago was unlawful.

The ruling is a temporary reprieve and throws the issue back to where many observers think it belongs – the United States Congress.

USCCB President and Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles and USCCB Migration Committee Chairman and Washington Auxiliary Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville issued a statement praising the Court’s decision and calling on Congress to devise a permanent solution for Dreamers.

“…We strongly encourage our U.S. Senators to immediately pass legislation that provides a path to citizenship for Dreamers. Permanent legislative protection that overcomes partisanship and puts the human dignity and future of Dreamers first is long overdue,” Archbishop Gomez and Bishop Dorsonville said.

The DACA program has enabled approximately 700,000 young people, who paid a fee and submitted to a background check, the opportunity to work legally, access educational opportunities, and not fear deportation. DACA recipients on average contribute over $42 billion annually to the U.S. economy. (Estimates place the total number of Dreamers in this nation as high as 900,000.)

The California Catholic Conference has published extensive background information for a more extensive look at the DACA program and immigration in the U.S.

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