The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has long been a symbol of hope for undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. However, recent developments have cast a shadow of uncertainty over the program, leaving DACA recipients and their advocates in a state of anxiety.
Let’s understand the history of DACA while it comes back to American courts again.
The Birth of DACA
DACA, a lifeline for countless young immigrants in America, was established by the Obama Administration in 2012 through an executive order. This initiative granted eligible individuals temporary protected status for two years, along with the ability to work legally. In addition, it included access to driver's licenses, making it a crucial step towards integration into American society.
The Trump Era Challenges
In 2017, the Trump Administration began its efforts to dismantle the DACA program, ultimately succeeding in 2020. The decision led to widespread uncertainty and fear among DACA recipients and their families. However, the Supreme Court stepped in, ruling that the termination of DACA was illegal, thus reinstating the program, although temporarily.
Legal Rollercoaster
The legal rollercoaster did not end there. In July 2021, a federal court declared that the original DACA executive order was unlawful. It directed the Texas Federal Court to reexamine this decision. Amidst this legal turmoil, the Biden Administration took action, proposing a revised version of DACA in August 2022. This revised version aimed to preserve the program through a more formal rule-making process than its predecessor.
Current Status
A federal judge on Wednesday again ruled the DACA program to be unlawful, rejecting a revised version of the policy that has protected hundreds of thousands of young people from deportation.
Judge Andrew Hanen of the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas declared that recent Biden administration efforts to preserve and codify the Obama-era program into a federal regulation were illegal. Hanen, who has ruled against DACA before, said in his ruling the program would be allowed to continue, for now, but that new applicants would still be barred from applying.
Dealing with several ups and downs, the DACA program, born out of necessity to protect young immigrants who grew up in the United States, remains in a state of flux for years together now.
