Santa Monica joins over 100 other cities and counties in submitting amicus brief to Supreme Court
By Sam Catanzaro
Santa Monica has joined 108 other cities, counties and municipal organizations in submitting an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court challenging the Trump Administration’s rescission of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), calling the president’s action’s “sudden and arbitrary.”
DACA, created on June 15, 2012, by then-President Barack Obama, defers deportation proceedings for two years for qualified individuals who were brought to the United States illegally when they were children while giving approved individuals work authorization. These “dreamers” can have their DACA status renewed under the program. According to the Pew Research Center, there are nearly 800,000 individuals under the DACA program.
“DACA has allowed recipients to pursue higher education, enhancing their economic productivity and enriching their lives and futures,” reads the amicus brief. “DACA recipients have made enormous contributions to our communities and our country.”
In rescinding DACA, the brief makes the case that the U.S. government failed to consider the negative effect that rescission will have on DACA recipients and their communities.
“This failure, as the amicus brief argues, is a reason why the rescission of DACA is unlawful. The amicus brief further urges the Supreme Court to reject the U.S. government’s argument that its decision to rescind DACA is not subject to judicial review,” said the City of Santa Monica in a press release.
“The DACA recipients here in Santa Monica and across the nation embody the American Dream. Without their contributions, our community will suffer.”
Santa Monica Mayor Gleam Davis
“The City of Santa Monica is proud to join the amicus brief challenging the rescission of DACA,” added Santa Monica Mayor Gleam Davis. “The DACA recipients here in Santa Monica and across the nation embody the American Dream. Without their contributions, our community will suffer. By signing on to this brief, we stand with the dreamers and hope the Supreme Court will consider the consequences of the rescission in its decision.”
The Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case on November 12, 2019.
