Chicago, IL – Yesterday, Judge Andrew S. Hanen of the Federal District Court in Houston ruled that DACA was illegal. DACA—Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals—an executive order issued in 2012 by President Obama, has provided nearly 600,000 young people with protection against immediate deportation, as well as work authorization.
“DACA has changed the lives of so many of our young immigrants by providing them with access to living wage jobs and education and removing the constant and paralyzing threat of deportation. Many of these young people served on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic, in some cases risking their lives for the sake of their communities. Yesterday’s decision by Judge Hanen reveals dark political motivations and is deeply rooted in structural racism,” said Pablo Tapia, chair of Gamaliel’s Civil Rights of Immigrants Campaign.
While the Hanen ruling called DACA “illegal,” the judge did not require that the program be ended. Those young people currently in the program will be able to keep and renew their DACA status.
“We call on Congress to act morally and courageously to pass legislation that would make DACA a permanent feature of the U.S. Immigration System.”
