A federal judge in Texas on Friday ordered an end to an Obama-era program that prevented the deportations of some immigrants brought into the United States as children, putting new pressure for action on President Joe Biden.
Houston —A federal judge in Texas on Friday ruled illegal an Obama-era program that prevents the deportation of some immigrants brought into the United States as children, putting new pressure for action on President Joe Biden and Democrats who control Congress for legislation to safeguard the people known as “Dreamers.” U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen ruled in favor of Texas and eight other conservative states that sued to halt the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which provides limited protections to about 650,000 people. People who are already enrolled won’t lose protections, but Hanen is barring the approval of any new applications. Hanen’s decision limits the immediate ability of Biden, who pledged during his campaign to protect DACA, to keep the program or something similar in place. His ruling is the second by a federal judge in Texas stopping Biden’s immigration plans, after a court barred enforcement of Biden’s 100-day stay on most deportations. The program has been challenged in court since former President Barack Obama instituted it in June 2012. In Friday’s ruling, Hanen wrote that the states proved “the hardship that the continued operation of DACA has inflicted on them.” He continued: “Furthermore, the government has no legitimate interest in the continuation of an illegally implemented program.” Biden has already proposed legislation that would provide a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 11 million people living in the U.
