December 15, 2020
Policy Summary
Following Brief #108, a Federal Judge recently ordered the Trump Administration to fully restore DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). The Administration is supposed to allow newly eligible immigrants to file new applications for protections under DACA and reverse the memorandum issued unlawfully by Chad Wolf earlier in the summer. As many as 300,000 new applicants might now be eligible in light of the newest ruling. The Judge also asserted the government must find a way to inform all eligible immigrants of this change.
Analysis
This ruling poses a significant legal setback to President Trump’s long-standing attempts to terminate the Obama-era program. If the order still stands by the time Joe Biden takes office, it will be easier for him to reinstate DACA, as he has promised in his campaign.
Engagement Resources
- The National Immigration Law Center: an organization that exclusively dedicates itself to defending and furthering the rights of low income immigrants and strives to educate decision makers on the impacts and effects of their policies on this overlooked part of the population.
- Border Network for Human Rights: network to engage education, organization and participation of border communities to defend human rights and work towards a society where everyone is equal in rights and dignity.
- The ACLU: a non-profit with a longstanding commitment to preserving and protecting the individual rights and liberties the Constitution and US laws guarantee all its citizens. You can also donate monthly to counter Trump’s attacks on people’s rights. Recently, the ACLU has filed a lawsuit challenging the separation of families at the border.
- Center for Disease Control: the CDC provides updated information surrounding COVID-19 and the US responses