California files lawsuit against Trump administration over DACA repeal
By Rupan Bharanidaran
Sept. 11, 2017 1:58 p.m.
The state of California sued President Donald Trump’s administration Monday for ending a program that deferred deportation for undocumented individuals brought to the United States as children.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced the state, along with attorneys general for Minnesota, Maryland and Maine, is filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration for ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. DACA, which was enacted by former President Barack Obama in 2012, has helped thousands of undocumented individuals obtain work permits and driver’s licenses in certain states.
The lawsuit follows a similar lawsuit filed by the University of California on Friday. Other state governments, such as New York and New Mexico, have also filed lawsuits.
DACA protects nearly 800,000 undocumented individuals, according to data released by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. More than 200,000 DACA recipients reside in California.
Becerra said in a statement he thinks DACA has helped thousands of undocumented individuals become successful and productive Americans.
“We will not permit Donald Trump to destroy the lives of young immigrants who make California and our country stronger,” he said in the statement.
The lawsuit claims the Trump administration’s decision to end the program violates DACA recipients’ due process rights because DACA recipients provided their personal information to the government in order to join the program.
The lawsuit also claims that ending DACA violates the Regulatory Flexibility Act because it did not analyze the effect that ending the program can have on small businesses that are owned by or employ DACA recipients. Lastly, the lawsuit asserts the Trump administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act by not going through a public comment session before terminating the program.
