Supreme Court Rejects Trump’s End to DACA Program
June 18, 2020
Today we celebrate another important and positive decision as the Supreme Court ruled to protect the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The Court confirmed that the Trump administration’s action to rescind DACA was unlawful, and that the program should be restored unless and until the administration is able to provide legally adequate justifications for ending the program.
While this is an important step towards protecting young people to whom the United States is the only home they know, there remains much more to be done. We call on Congress to finally act to pass comprehensive immigration reform that is humane to the millions of undocumented individuals who live, work, and contribute to our communities, and strengthens everyone in our nation.
Millions of people were brought to the United States as children and infants, some growing up without the knowledge of being undocumented until many years later, as was the case with immigration reform activist and 2018 GLAD Spirit of Justice honoree José Antonio Vargas. Though Vargas does not qualify as a DACA recipient, having missed the cut off date by months, his experience echoes that of other Dreamers when he says, “On the surface, I’ve created a good life. I’ve lived the American dream. But I am still an undocumented immigrant.”
For the LGBTQ Dreamer community, many of whom would face prosecution or violence based on their sexual orientation or gender in their countries of origin, this is a moment of triumph as well as a moment of reprieve. Yet, even as we recognize that today’s Supreme Court decision surely has caused a sigh of relief for many, we also acknowledge the many who have already been deported.
At GLAD, we are committed to addressing systemic barriers that LGBTQ and all immigrants face when seeking justice. Home is here, and we will fight for Dreamers to be here to stay.