Philly Immigration Advocates React To Federal Court Ruling Blocking End OF DACA
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Local immigration advocates are breathing a sigh of relief a day after a federal court judge blocked the Trump administration's phase out of the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
The federal court judge wrote that public policy would be served by allowing dreamers to remain in the country while the judiciary hashes out whether the DACA program is legal. The ruling strikes the Trump administration March deadline for Congress to come up with new legislation.
"This administration was really just targeting DACA out of a misplaced political agenda," said Sundrop Carter, who runs the Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition.
She says Dreamers were used as political bargaining chips for immigration reform. For now, at least, DACA recipients can breathe easy, but Cater understands this is only temporary.
"This doesn't mean that DACA is back in full effect," Carter said. "We need permanent legislation."
Miguel Andradre is spokesman for Juntos and says they're putting the word out that DACA recipients have a time to renew - but the future is uncertain.
"It does not open the doorway now for new applications," he said.
He says the focus now will be a push for immigration reform legislation, which is in discussion on Capitol Hill.