(DePaul University/Jeff Carrion)In a court ruling on Friday, Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis of the U.S. District Court in Brooklyn ordered the full restoration of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, meaning the government will once more have to accept new applications for the program that protects immigrants living in the U.S. since childhood without legal permission.
The program, known as DACA, has been in limbo since the Trump administration attempted to end it in September 2017. DACA allows young immigrants who are in the U.S. without legal status but were brought here as children, to live and work in the country legally.
For the past three years, DACA has been kept alive by the courts, but not open to new applicants. Friday's ruling directs the Department of Homeland Security to open the program to new applicants and restore the two-year renewal period for DACA protection and work permits.
DePaul President A. Gabriel Esteban reaffirmed DePaul's commitment stating, “DePaul has a long-standing commitment to undocumented students. It is indeed good news that the courts restored the DACA program and that students can again apply to receive the rights and protections DACA provides. We must, however, remain steadfast in our efforts to provide access to a high-quality education to undocumented students, and we look forward to comprehensive immigration reform in the new year."