DACA Ruled Legal By U.S. Supreme Court!

In the middle of a pandemic and a social injustice uprising — we have some good news, finally! The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that DACA will remain in place! An estimated 800,000 undocumented people nationwide are safe from deportation. But it was a close call. 

The justices, which are majority conservative, ruled 5 to 4 to reject that DACA is illegal. According to the SCOTUS Twitter, justices ruled against Trump administration in a challenge to the decision to end DACA program, “which allowed noncitizens brought to this country illegally as children to apply for protection from deportation, holding decision was arbitrary and capricious.”

Chief Justice John Roberts, a conservative, sided with liberal justices and wrote “We do not decide whether DACA or its rescission are sound policies. ‘The wisdom’ of those decisions ‘is none of our concern,’” Roberts wrote. We address only whether the agency complied with the procedural requirement that it provide a reasoned explanation for its action,” he added. “Here the agency failed to consider the conspicuous issues of whether to retain forbearance and what if anything to do about the hardship to DACA recipients. That dual failure raises doubts about whether the agency appreciated the scope of its discretion or exercised that discretion in a reasonable manner.” 

Here’s some reaction to the incredible news: 

Good morning y échate pa’ lante because HOME IS HERE! 🌞 https://t.co/K8YvJGvUHI

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 18, 2020

I literally cried tears of joy when I heard the DACA decision.

The wonderful young Dreamers and their families have a huge burden lifted off their shoulders.

One day they will become American citizens. https://t.co/exh0OIlniJ

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) June 18, 2020

The DACA decision is so huge for so many people.

It's also not isolated as a win for immigrants' rights. Just over the past 9 days:

—Voters ousted a sheriff who cooperated with ICE in GA.
—Virginia's 2nd biggest county ended its contract with ICE.

Years of activism blossoming.

— Taniel (@Taniel) June 18, 2020

Wow!!!!!! I cannot hold back the tears of joy I feel for all of the young people in our country who have been petrified and can now breath a sigh of enormous relief. Supreme Court rules Trump administration illegally ended DACA https://t.co/XpP5eW55CO

— Valerie Jarrett (@ValerieJarrett) June 18, 2020

Trump’s decision to end DACA was one of the ugliest and cruelest decisions ever made by a president in modern history.

He lost.

Congratulations to DREAMers and all who fought to make this enormous victory possible.

The fight for justice continues! https://t.co/3iLmLingzQ

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) June 18, 2020

Important to note that the fight to protect DACA continues. Yes, #SCOTUS protected DACA for today, but it set a course to allow the Trump Administration to rescind it again. And THAT makes voting in November critical. If you care about #DACA kids, there is no excuse not to vote.

— LAPolWatcher (@LAPolWatcher) June 18, 2020

🚨 BREAKING: #DACA LIVES! 🎉#SCOTUS has ruled against the Trump administration's efforts to end the program, saying it violated federal law. pic.twitter.com/lVn9oQksNz

— RAICES (@RAICESTEXAS) June 18, 2020

TODAY IS A GREAT DACE FOR THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY — but we are always aware of the fragile nature of #DACA protections, particularly in light of the Trump Admin'ss continued attacks on immigrant communities.

The Trump Admin must leave DACA in place and reopen new applications.

— Juan Escalante (@JuanSaaa) June 18, 2020

As many have noted, this decision, while positive, doesn’t mean the fight is over. President Donald Trump can still try to have the program rescinded. The real definitive change will only happen if Trump is voted out of office in November.