Watch CBS News

Pa. Attorney General Supports Supreme Court's DACA Decision, Saying 'Dreamers Are Americans'

WASHINGTON DC (AP/KDKA) -- The Supreme Court has rejected President Donald Trump's effort to end legal protections for 650,000 young immigrants.

The outcome seems certain to elevate the issue in Trump's campaign for reelection, given the anti-immigrant rhetoric of his first presidential run in 2016 and immigration restrictions his administration has imposed since then.

The justices rejected administration arguments that the eight-year-old Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program is illegal and that courts have no role to play in reviewing the decision to end DACA.

The program was started in 2012 and allowed young, undocumented immigrants brought the United States to receive differed action toward deportation and allows them to apply for work visas.

The 5-4 ruling was written by Chief Justice John Roberts, who joined by these Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor in the vote.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro issued a statement in support of the Supreme Court's decision, saying he has fought to keep young Dreamers in Pennsylvania.

"The Supreme Court made clear today that DACA is the law of the land. Dreamers are Americans. I fought hard in court to protect the 5,900 remarkable young people across Pennsylvania from the discriminatory ambitions of the Trump Administration. The emotional roller coaster the Administration has put these Dreamers on was wrong but today they received justice. The Trump Administration's arbitrary and cynical reversal of DACA was illegal -- and this decision affirms that."

(TM and © Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.