On November 12, 2019, the Supreme Court of the United States will hear oral arguments about whether or not the Trump Administration’s rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”) program violated the law and the Constitution. The DACA program was put in place by President Obama as a way to protect hundreds of thousands of immigrants who were brought to the United States as children and who have known no other home than the ones they have here. DACA allowed them protection from deportation and opportunity to work out from under the shadows. DACA recipients, like so many immigrants, are hardworking members of their communities, with families, dreams, and so much to offer to the United States.

When the Trump Administration decided that these dreamers no longer deserved protection in September, 2017, the Washington Lawyers Committee joined with advocates across the country in filing suit to stop the rescission from going into place. We joined with co-counsel Arnold and Porter, Wilkie Farr and Gallagher and the Howard University Law School Civil Rights Clinic in representing CASA de Maryland, eight other immigrant rights organizations, and fourteen DACA recipients to file suit in the District of Maryland. Despite a disappointing ruling in that court, the Fourth Circuit reversed and held that the reversal of the program was arbitrary and capricious and that DACA should continue.

The government asked the Supreme Court to review that decision, but it has not agreed to do so. However, the Supreme Court has consolidated three other DACA challenges and will hear arguments determining its fate.

On October 4, 2019, CASA de Maryland and other organizational plaintiffs joined with United We Dream in an amicus brief that described the importance of the DACA program. One of the Committee’s plaintiffs was highlighted in the brief.