The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the Trump administration’s decision to cancel the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”) program, stating the decision was “arbitrary and capricious” and that the administration failed to offer an adequate explanation for doing so.
The program, announced by President Barack Obama in 2012, allows undocumented individuals who were brought to the United States as children to apply for temporary work authorization and shields them from deportation while they remain in DACA status. The status lasts for two years and recipients may apply for renewal, but DACA does not provide a path to citizenship or lawful permanent resident status.
The court’s decision means that the Trump administration will have to provide a lower court with a stronger justification for ending the program, a process that could take many months during a contentious election year. The decision will also put on hold any plans by the administration to target DACA recipients for removal (deportation) proceedings.
A copy of the full opinion can be found here: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/18-587_5ifl.pdf