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Saturday, September 16, 2023

DACA Ruling

As blog readers will probably know from other news sources, a federal judge has ruled the DACA program - originally started by the Obama administration - illegal. At this point, that ruling is under appeal, but the matter seems likely to make its way to the US Supreme Court eventually. 

The Regents set up a special committee to explore the legal ramifications of UC providing jobs to DACA and other undocumented students. There will be a discussion of the proposal behind closed doors next Thursday when the Regents meet at UCLA. It's unclear how all of that might be affected if the Supreme Court were to eliminate the DACA program.

In theory, Congress could act. A recent article in Roll Call, however, indicates the prospect for such action is close to nil:

...Legislation to address Dreamers frequently gets wrapped up in broader immigration talks on work visas, the asylum system and border security — a logjam that has persisted for years as court challenges to DACA moved through the federal courts. Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and majority whip, told reporters Thursday that he was “bitterly disappointed” in Hanen’s ruling and said he is “going to try to at least initiate a new effort among members to discuss this.”

Earlier in the week, Durbin said he wanted to look at reviving and updating the prior “Gang of Eight” immigration bill last considered in 2013 as a basis for a new compromise, even if it has little chance of passing the House. “I think we both know what the likelihood of that passing the other body is but that shouldn’t deter us from doing our duty,” Durbin told ranking member Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., during a committee hearing Tuesday.

Durbin has routinely introduced legislation solely concerning Dreamers along with Graham, but it has yet to garner enough bipartisan support to pass. Passing any legislation on DACA would require the support of at least nine Republicans and the Republican-controlled House... 

Full story at https://rollcall.com/2023/09/14/senators-downplay-chances-for-dreamers-bill-after-latest-court-ruling/.

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