The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected President Donald Trump’s effort to end legal protections for 650,000 young immigrants — under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA — a stunning rebuke to the president in the midst of his reelection campaign.
DACA covers people who have been in the United States since they were children and are in the country illegally. For now, those immigrants retain their protection from deportation and their authorization to work in the United States.
The program grew out of an impasse over a comprehensive immigration bill between Congress and the Obama administration in 2012. President Barack Obama decided to formally protect people from deportation while also allowing them to work legally in the U.S. But Trump made tough talk on immigration a central part of his campaign and less than eight months after taking office, he announced in September 2017 that he would end DACA.
Here are the local reactions to the decision:
Lori Lightfoot, Chicago Mayor
“There are so many young people who contribute in incredible ways to the vibrancy of our country. They deserve and have the right to be here, and I am grateful [for the DACA decision].”
JB Pritzker, Illinois Governor
I’m pleased the Supreme Court has stopped @realDonaldTrump’s lawless attempt at ending the DACA program. This is a victory for the nearly 700,000 young Americans who are invaluable to our nation and our future. Let this reaffirm that the American dream is possible for everyone.
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) June 18, 2020
Dick Durbin, US. Senator
“At least for this weekend, and I hope for long beyond that, we will be celebrating a Supreme Court decision which gives a new lease on life to 700,000 young people who have one goal in mind: To be part of America’s future.”
Speaking on the Senate floor now about the Supreme Court’s decision on DACA. https://t.co/MkhHZHd1xo
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) June 18, 2020
Tammy Duckworth, U.S. Senator
“Today’s decision reaffirms the truth that Donald Trump and his Administration have tried to deny for years: Dreamers belong in America.”
In a 5-4 decision, SCOTUS reaffirmed the truth that Trump has tried to deny for years: Dreamers belong in America.
After living in fear & uncertainty, DACA recipients can now breathe a sigh of relief.
But we’re not done. Let’s codify DACA into law & pass the #DreamAndPromiseAct pic.twitter.com/T3zNSfwbDv
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) June 18, 2020
Julian Villagrana, North Park University student and DACA recipient
“This is a major relief for me and other DACA recipients and their families. And I hope we continue to have many more major successes.”
Dulce Dominguez, University of Chicago graduate and DACA recipient
“I’m just thinking about how everybody that was waiting for this decision is taking deep breaths … because we were holding our breaths for a long time over the last couple of months.”
