Texas Federal Judge Extends DACA’s Life

District Judge Andrew Hanen denied the State of Texas and nine other States’ request to halt the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. On September 5, 2017, the Trump Administration announced the end of the DACA program, an Obama era executive order that provided certain benefits to some individuals who illegally came to the U.S. before their 16^th birthday. To learn more about the DACA program please click here. Judge Hanen stated in his ruling that even though the ten States that sued may provide evidence that DACA causes the States irreparable harm, they have delayed in seeking relief for the 6 years since the program existed. He also added that there was an abundance of evidence to show that ending the program was “in contrary to the best interest of the public”. This order is on hold for 21 days to allow time for appeal.

What this means is that DACA recipients are eligible to apply for renewal for the near term. Since the President announced his intentions to end the program, three different courts have since ruled that the administration must keep the program intact for now. However, as the Trump administration and many of the program’s opponents are unlikely to stop trying to dismantle the program, more uncertainty is surely in the near future. There are about 120,000 DACA recipients in Texas and more than 800,000 nationwide.