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The Trump administration must accept new demands for the Deferred Action Program for Childhood Arrivals, also known as Daca, which protects some young immigrants from deportation, a federal judge ruled on Friday.
Judge Nicholas Garaufis’ decision means that the administration should reopen the program to new applicants and reduce the period of protection to two years.
In July, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, issued a memo that suspended Daca for new applications and reduced the validity period for renewals from two years to one year.
Friday’s decision follows that of November, in which Garaufis said Wolf took office illegally and his suspension from the Daca program was therefore invalid.
Garaufis said the government was to issue a public notice within three days indicating that Daca’s new demands were accepted. Garaufis also ordered the government to prepare a situation report on the Daca program by January 4.
The Daca program was created in 2012 under Barack Obama and allows those brought to the United States illegally as children the temporary right to live, study, and work legally in America, rather than live in fear of deportation. The program allowed young immigrants to do basic things like get a driver’s license, apply for college, or get a work permit.
Those who are protected by Daca are known as “Dreamers”. About 650,000 people are currently enrolled in the program.
Daca has become a major flashpoint under the Trump administration. In the 2016 election, Trump vowed to tear Daca apart immediately, sparking a legal battle that continued throughout his presidency, ending in the Supreme Court this year.
In June, the Supreme Court blocked Trump’s attempt to end Daca, calling it “arbitrary and capricious” and saying it violated federal law. His administration, however, continued its policy of not accepting new applications for the program.
Joe Biden has pledged to make Daca permanent through legislation when he takes office.
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