The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the Trump administration’s cancellation of an Obama-era program that provided legal protections and work permits to unauthorized immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.
The court, in a 5-4 opinion by Chief Justice John Roberts, said the administration acted arbitrarily when it moved to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, failing to offer adequate reasons for doing so.
President Donald Trump
The ruling hands President Trump one of the biggest legal defeats of his presidency in the middle of an election year in which immigration is again a top political topic. The decision effectively provides relief to more than 600,000 DACA recipients, often referred to as Dreamers, who have been in limbo since Mr. Trump in 2017 decided to wind down the program.
The court’s decision also highlighted the biggest legal stumbling block Mr. Trump has faced throughout his first term: While a new administration has wide latitude to change regulatory policies, federal law requires agencies to explain their decision-making to the public and offer sound reasons for adopting a new approach.
