Decision Elevates the Importance of the November Election 

SAN DIEGO, CA — Today, in a partial victory for immigrant communities, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the Trump Administration’s manner of eliminating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was unlawful for failing to comply with procedural requirements. The decision affects the estimated 700,000 DACA recipients in the United States, and 40,000 in San Diego County. 

This decision is a reprieve for immigrant youth and their families, who have challenged Trump and his decision to rescind DACA in 2017. Today, the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration’s manner of ending the DACA program was “arbitrary and capricious” and did not take into account the hardship to DACA recipients. The decision explicitly left out whether DACA was legally implemented in the first instance and merely addressed the manner the government eliminated the program. 

The Court sent the question back to DHS to reconsider. That may take some time, which means that the DACA decision could remain in limbo until after the election, which elevates the importance of the vote. In light of that, Alliance San Diego joins the call of DACA recipients and their families to all of us to choose to protect immigrant communities in the November election. 

In response to the decision, Alliance San Diego will be hosting a webinar for the immigrant community on the Supreme Court’s ruling on Monday, June 22nd in English and Tuesday, June 23rd in Spanish. Register for the webinar here. We will also be co-hosting a rally tonight at 6 pm at the San Diego County Administration Building at Waterfront Park. 

Karen Bahena, DACA recipient and health coach, said: 

“As a health coach, I know that helping chronically ill patients manage their pre-existing conditions and stay healthy during an unprecedented public health crisis is critical to their survival. The supreme court’s decision removes a critical barrier to my ability to help the impacted communities I serve as a healthcare professional. DACA Recipients are our nurses, doctors, neighbors and friends, and we’re here to stay!”

Michelle Celleri, human rights counsel at Alliance San Diego, said: 

“We thank the Supreme Court for siding with the thousands of DACA recipients in our nation, but this victory may be short lived.  It provides temporary relief for DACA recipients, but the Trump Administration will continue to try to institutionalize its hateful rhetoric. That is why it’s so important to vote this November. In the meantime, we encourage DACA recipients to speak with legal service providers, including Alliance San Diego, to explore all avenues of protection and relief. Alliance San Diego will continue to provide information and support to DACA recipients as they navigate the uncertainty during this time.”

About Alliance San Diego

Alliance San Diego is a non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) community empowerment organization working to ensure that all people can achieve their full potential in an environment of harmony, safety, equality, and justice. Our mission is to provide a means for diverse individuals and organizations to share information, collaborate on issues and mobilize for change in the pursuit of social justice, especially in low-income communities and communities of color. We pursue this mission through targeted civic engagement programs and strategic coalitions that focus on specific issues and policy reforms.

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