It’s Now the Supreme Court’s Turn to Try to Resolve the Fate of the Dreamers

Posted on 07/03/19

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals protects over 800,000 so-called “dreamers” from deportation after being illegally brought into The United States as a minor. After President Trump’s numerous court battles, the Supreme Court of The United States has agreed to resolve the fate of Dreamers, which is set for the next court term. The year-long legal battle will test the power of the presidency and court system as it pertains to immigration policy for years to come.

This window of opportunity allows Democrats and Republicans to find common ground when it comes to Dreamers and providing them the chance to become a legal U.S. citizen. At stake is a signature Obama administration policy the protected thousands of young migrants. Back in 2017, President Trump tried to end the program; calling it an “end-run around Congress” and saying that President Obama’s use of the executive power violated “the core tenets that sustain our republic.”

Although a controversial issue, members of both parties have expressed sympathy for dreamers; including President Trump on numerous occasions. But even with such sympathy, there is still no evidence of a likely deal. For many years, lawmakers have failed to reach any kind of agreement despite numerous attempts for negotiations. In 2018, a possible deal collapsed amid demands from Mr. Trump for restrictive changes to immigration laws and billions of dollars to build a wall along the southwestern border. This month, the Democrat-led House passed legislation that would provide a “path to citizenship for Dreamers and other immigrants whose legal status Mr. Trump has targeted” (Brown). But the legislation is already languishing in the Republican-controlled Senate, where opponents view it as amnesty for lawbreakers.

When the start of the next term begins for the Justices in mid-October, both Republicans and Democrats will argue their case which will be a pinnacle decision during an aggressive presidential campaign. No matter the final decision, this case will be in the spotlight throughout 2020.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/28/us/politics/supreme-court-daca-dreamers.