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Trump administration won’t accept new DACA applications

DACA recipients celebrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court
Ivania Castillo, from Prince William County, Va., holds a banner to show her support for “Dreamer” Miriam, from California, in front of the Supreme Court on June 18.
(Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press)
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The Trump administration will deny new applications for so-called “Dreamer” immigrants and cut renewals to one year from two years, despite reversals in court that kept alive the Obama-era program to shield young people from deportation.

A White House official confirmed the announcement Tuesday. New applications were put on hold when the Trump administration moved to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in September 2017, but two-year renewals have continued, with about 700,000 people currently covered.

With immigration officials still rejecting new DACA applications, President Trump is defying a Supreme Court ruling, experts say.

July 16, 2020

The Supreme Court ruled last month that Trump failed to follow rule-making procedures when he tried to end the program but kept a window open for him to try again. The White House has been studying the ruling and devising plans to try again to end DACA — though it was not immediately clear whether the politically sensitive move would be undertaken before November’s election.

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A federal judge in Maryland ruled earlier this month that DACA should be restored to its original form from before September 2017, but the administration was mum until Tuesday on whether it would start accepting new applications. The White House anticipates legal challenges.

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