Status: 07/17/2021 7:59 p.m.
The Dreamer Program prevents the deportation of people who came to the United States as children. A federal judge had overturned the protection program. US President Biden has now announced that he will appeal the decision.
The US Department of Justice wants to challenge the decision of a federal judge in Texas who ruled illegal a protection program for young migrants. This was announced by US President Joe Biden.
The judge’s decision from the previous day was “deeply disappointing,” said Biden. This does not affect those who have already registered for the so-called DACA program. But “hundreds of thousands of young migrants faced an uncertain future,” said the US President.
District judges ruled on the basis of nine states
The DACA program was arranged by the former US President Barack Obama, under whom Biden was Vice President. It is intended to prevent the deportation of some people who came to the USA as children, who are known as “dreamers”. District judge Andrew Hanen recently ruled in favor of Texas and eight other conservatively governed states that the initiative should be stopped.
The plaintiffs had argued that Obama was not empowered to create a program like DACA in 2012 because Congress had been bypassed. The program is draining their funds for education and health. All plaintiff states – in addition to Texas, these are the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina, and West Virginia – had Republican governors or attorneys general.
In his ruling, Hanen wrote that the states had demonstrated the hardships that the continued operation of DACA had placed on them. In addition, the government has no legitimate interest in continuing “an illegally introduced program”. However, those who have already registered for the program do not lose their protection. The judge’s decision prevents new applications from being approved.
Biden wants to keep the DACA program
Biden had promised in the election campaign to keep DACA. He has already directed authorities to endeavor to maintain the program. With Hanen’s decision, Biden’s ability to act on the issue is restricted, and the pressure on him and the Democrats controlling Congress grows. Because even proponents of DACA have declared in court that a law passed by Congress is necessary for permanent protection of those affected from expulsion.
Judge Hanen had already stated in the past that Congress would have to take action if the US wanted to protect the “Dreamers”. The House of Representatives passed a bill in March giving them the path to naturalization. In the Senate, however, the bill is on hold.
In his statement, Biden again called on Congress to enact a law to permanently protect those who fell under the DACA program. Only parliament could provide a permanent solution that would provide a path to citizenship for “dreamers” so that young people would get the security and stability they need and deserve. They would have lived in fear too long.
Pelosi announces law
Human rights activists appealed to the government to provide rapid protection for young migrants. The director of the United We Dream organization, Greisa Martinez Rosa, said: “As long as the President and the Democrats in Congress fail to deliver on citizenship, the lives of millions of people will be at stake stand.”
House Chairwoman Nancy Pelosi announced that the Democrats would continue to campaign for legislation to protect immigrants brought to the United States as children. She urged opposition Republicans to respect the will of the American people and the law to ensure these young people found a route to citizenship.