CI Joins Amicus Brief in Supreme Court DACA Case

Children’s Institute has joined health experts and advocates from across the country to fight Trump administration efforts to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

In an amicus brief filed last Friday, 36 organizations and leaders, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children have asked the court to consider that a reversal of DACA protections would cause developmental, psychological, and economic harm to at least 250,000 children in the U.S.

Oregon is home to one of the largest populations of DACA recipients in the country, with 9,910 DACA residents and 5,500 children of DACA recipients.

The brief states in part, “The imminent threat of losing DACA protection places children at risk of losing parental nurturance, as well as losing income, food security, housing, access to health care, educational opportunities, and the sense of safety and security that is the foundation of healthy child development.”

Oral arguments in the caseone of three DACA-related cases that the Supreme Court will review this fallare scheduled for November 12. All are challenges to the legality of attempts to end the DACA program.

The DACA program began in 2012, under President Barack Obama. DACA recipients, also known as Dreamers, are children of undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as minors. DACA allows recipients to work in the U.S. and protects them from deportation in renewable two-year increments.

Research has shown that DACA has increased the wage and employment status of DACA-eligible immigrants, improved the mental health outcomes for DACA participants and their children, and reduced the numbers of households living in poverty.

Immigrant children in Oregon and elsewhere, raised under the threat of separation, detention, or deportation of their parents and family members, lack the safe and stable care environments that we know are critical to healthy development and learning.

Understanding that the hearts and minds of our children hold the greatest promise for our nation’s future demands that we protect DACA policies which keep families together, effectively and appropriately prioritizing the needs of our youngest.

– from the amicus brief, Children’s Institute

 

Read the full text of the amicus brief and the appendix here.

 

 

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