IMMIGRATION VICTORY

Judge Rules Trump Administration Must Allow DACA Program to Continue in Full

The Trump administration must allow new applicants to enroll in the DACA program, a federal judge ruled on Friday.

An estimated 300,000 people will soon be newly eligible to enroll in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to restore the program to its full version. That means rolling back limits the administration had put on some aspects of the program over the summer. The changes, which should begin taking effect as soon as Monday, will open up slots for new enrollees, as well as increase the length of recipients’ work permits from one to two years. President Trump has continuously attacked immigrants since the start of his administration, and DACA has been one of his biggest targets. The program began under President Obama in 2012 and serves over 800,000 immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. With less than two months until the end of his administration, President Trump’s team could still appeal the decision. If that’s the case, President-elect Joe Biden has promised to ensure the program continues.