By Ana Martinez-Ortiz
History happens every day, but historical events aren’t as common. Thursday, June 18, will be remembered as a historical day, especially for those under the Deferred Action Against Childhood Arrivals program better known as DACA.
DACA began in 2012 under President Barack Obama. It gave undocumented individuals who came to the states as children a chance to remain in the country. Under DACA, a person can not be deported for two years after which they renew their application going forward.
The Trump Administration wanted to end DACA, but the U.S. Supreme Court voted against the administration. According to NPR, the final vote was 5-4, with Chief Justice John Roberts having the final say. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor were the others in the majority.
For the individuals under DACA – nearly 650,000 young people – the Supreme Court’s decision was met with much excitement.
Many individuals and organizations took to social media using the hashtags #HomeIsHere and #HereToStay.
Voces de la Frontera, a grassroots organization which has long championed for immigrants, posted on Facebook, “This is a victory for all the work and power of our movement.
The Supreme Court heard our voice and hundreds of thousands of immigrant young people can continue to live and work, and contribute to their communities in the U.S.”
Obama also took to social media to express his opinion.
“Eight years ago, this week, we protected young people who were raised as part of our American family from deportation,” Obama tweeted. “We may look different and come from everywhere, but what makes us American are our shared ideals…”
According to the Journal Sentinel, Roberts said that the Department of Homeland Security’s actions were unlawful because they were “arbitrary and capricious.”
“We do not decide whether DACA or its rescission are sound policies,” Roberts wrote in the majority opinion. “We address only whether the agency complied with the procedural requirement that it provide a reasoned explanation for its action”
The Supreme Court’s decision follows another major decision made earlier this week, in which it extended anti-discrimination protection for LGBTQ+ workers in a 6-3 decision.
President Donald Trump also took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the DACA decision.
“These horrible & politically charged decisions coming out of the Supreme Court are shotgun blasts into the face of people that are proud to call themselves Republicans or Conservatives,” he wrote.
While 2020 may not be the year everyone expected it to be, it will be without a doubt one of the most historical years.