On Monday, October 7, 2019, the groups that headed up the Supreme Court amicus brief in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), released a press statement describing both the reasons for the action and resources that advocates can use. CWLA was one of more than thirty groups signing on in support of the brief.

The press statement noted that at least a quarter of a million young children would be harmed developmentally, psychologically, and economically by the cancellation of [DACA], yet the Trump administration failed to consider their interests when repealing the program in 2017. On Friday, leaders filed an amicus brief (appendix here) with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking the court to consider the impact of rescinding DACA on beneficiaries’ children, who are U.S. citizens. Oral arguments are scheduled for November 12, 2019.

The largest numbers of those children live in the following twelve states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas.

The brief explains society has a moral imperative to protect children from harm; this imperative is recognized in numerous laws and policies, including the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018. Failing to consider the needs of these children puts their futures in jeopardy, to the apparent detriment of the communities in which they live.

“The imminent threat of losing DACA protection places children at risk of losing parental nurturance, as well 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.”

The brief was co-authored by Persyn Law & Policy and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP for the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Center for Law and Social Policy, and other children’s advocacy organizations, medical professionals, and child development experts. Quotes from these organizations and experts can be accessed here.

In signing onto the brief, Chris James-Brown, President & CEO of CWLA, said:

“Two years ago, we invited a panel of ‘dreamers’ to present at our CWLA conference. To a hushed-CWLA crowd, these young people described how they came to the United States as children. They shared their hopes and dreams that the United States represents both for them and their families. These DACA-protected families are a vital part of our hopes, our communities and this country’s future. We must do everything we can to block this Administration’s efforts to threaten that future. That is why we join this legal brief.”

Read the amicus brief filed in the United States Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California; Donald J. Trump, President of the United States v. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; and Kirsten M. Nielsen, Secretary of Homeland Security v. Martin Jonathan Batalla Vidal [consolidated cases] here, with appendix.

Additional data about the economic contributions and family ties of DACA beneficiaries can be found here, including state-by-state calculations.