July 9, 2019

HACU statement on Supreme Court Action regarding DACA

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities has issued the following statement on the Supreme Court’s decision to hear arguments on whether to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program:

On June 28, 2019, the justices announced they would hear arguments in the fall over whether the Trump administration has the authority to terminate the DACA program, which suspended deportation for these young immigrants who were brought into the country as children.

“In light of the Supreme Court’s decision to hear oral arguments of whether the Trump administration may end Obama-era protections for the over 700,000 young immigrants enrolled in the DACA Program, we continue to urge Congress to move forward with comprehensive immigration reform,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores.

Under the court’s schedule, a decision is not expected before late spring of next year, just as the 2020 presidential campaign is well under way.

DACA recipients were brought to the U.S. as children and attended U.S. schools. Two-thirds of DACA recipients are ages 25 or younger, and a majority are women. Their deferred action from deportation has allowed them to attend college and legally hold a job in the U.S. However, DACA holders lack access to a reasonable path to citizenship, even though they have shown themselves to be positive contributors to the U.S. economy and the American way of life.

No federal court has found DACA to be unconstitutional, and numerous decisions have struck down efforts to terminate this program. However, the Supreme Court will now hear arguments to overrule or sustain these lower court opinions.

“HACU reaffirms its commitment to undocumented students and will continue to take every step possible to protect DACA recipients and DREAMers, and to urge the U.S. Senate to take up the American Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 6) immediately, and pass legislation to provide DREAMers with a pathway to citizenship,” said Flores.

It’s important for eligible DACA individuals to know that the program remains in place. Additional information and resources are available at HACU’s Community Resource Center for DACA/DREAMers and HSIs and our Advocacy Center.