Federal Judge Reaffirms DACA's Illegality, Supreme Court Decision Looms

A federal court has ruled that the Obama-era program known as DACA, which protects undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children from deportation, is still unlawful. The ruling by Judge Andrew S. Hanen of the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas is a setback for the Biden administration, which sought to codify the program into federal regulation. While the ruling means no new applications will be allowed, those who received their initial DACA status prior to July 16, 2021, can continue to renew their applications. The fate of DACA will ultimately be decided by higher courts, including the Supreme Court.