First, let’s understand a few basics. DACA was enacted via a memo sent by then-Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano to three other agency heads on June 15, 2012, as LawNewz notes. The original memo is available here. To clarify, DACA was never the result of an executive order. Rather, it was a re-shuffling of immigration enforcement priorities classified as a memorandum which outlined the exercise of DHS’ prosecutorial discretion.
In other words, DACA was simply an understanding between the federal government and a small class of undocumented immigrants (who met certain qualifications) that they were at the bottom of the list of people to be deported.
That understanding also came with a two-year promise in the form of a permit which allowed Dreamers to more easily access certain benefits–like work authorization and drivers licenses–but did not actually confer any “substantive right, immigration status or pathway to citizenship.” All told, DACA has prevented the deportation of roughly 790,000 undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children.
This program was never challenged in the courts, but ten Republican-controlled states promised to issue such a legal challenge if Trump did not make good on his campaign promise to end DACA. Today’s phasing out of the program is Trump delivering on that promise–and the states have already begun to drop their legal threats. As mentioned above, however, Democratic-controlled states and immigrants rights organizations will soon file lawsuits of their own, but those lawsuits will likely fail.
DACA Memorandum. https://www.dhs.gov/news/2012/06/15/secretary-napolitano-announces-deferred-action-process-young-people-who-are-low
DHS/Napolitano Memorandum. https://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/s1-exercising-prosecutorial-discretion-individuals-who-came-to-us-as-children.pdf
The Official Lionel Nation Store: http://www.cafepress.com/theofficiallionelnationstore
Sign up for Lionel’s Newsletter and Truth Warrior manifestos. http://lionelmedia.com/2015/05/04/information-is-the-currency-of-the-21st-century-lionel-2010-ce/
Subscribe to Lionel YouTube Channel – http://www.youtube.com/LionelY2K
Official Lionel Website: http://www.lionelmedia.com
Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/lionelmedia
Instagram – http://www.instagram.com/lionelmedia/
Periscope — https://www.periscope.tv/LionelNation/
Email – lionel@lionelmedia.com
Lionel Bio: http://lionelmedia.com/about-lionel/
Lionel Nation Google+ – https://plus.google.com/u/0/117173180841470374058
The Lebron Law Firm Website – http://www.lebronfirm.com
Lionel Nation podcasts on iTunes – http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/lionel-nation/id1015647476 Lionel Nation podcasts on audioBoom – http://audioboom.com/lionelmedia
Lionel Nation podcasts on Stitcher – http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/lionel-nation
Official Facebook Fan Page – http://www.facebook.com/lionelfanpage
The Lebron Law Firm Facebook Page – http://www.facebook.com/lebronfirm
The Lebron Law Firm Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/lebronfirm