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A federal judge in Texas declared this Friday that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ( DACA ) is illegal because then-President Barack Obama exceeded his authority when he created it by executive order in 2012.
Hundreds of thousands of the so-called “Dreamers” are once again faced with an uncertain future following the decision of Judge Andrew S. Hanen of the Southern District of Texas. Hanen, however, did not order the immediate cancellation of the program .
The New York Times reported that In his decision, the judge wrote that the Department of Homeland Security may continue to receive new applications and renewals, but temporarily prohibits their approval.
Obama created DACA to protect immigrants who came to the country as children from deportation. The “Dreamers” have been at the center of the immigration reform debate for years and were the target of constant attacks especially during the Donald Trump administration.
Judge Hanen, who was nominated in 2002 by George W. Bush, said in his decision that Congress had not given the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) authority to create DACA and that it prevented immigration officials from enforcing removal provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
DACA has around 650, 000 subscribed immigrants.
News in development.