On Friday, August 3, a federal judge in D.C. ruled that the Trump administration must restore the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, The Hill reports.

Judge John Bates, who previously stated that Trump's efforts to end DACA was "unlawful," issued a new ruling this week, noting that the presidential administration has failed to show adequate reasoning for ending the program. According to Politico, Bates's order to reinstate the program will be delayed until August 23, which will allow government officials to file an appeal. However, as Politico points out, Bates has already denied a motion to reconsider his previous April ruling, indicating that his latest decision will likely hold firm.

In his 25-page opinion, Bates explained: "The Court has already once given DHS the opportunity to remedy these deficiencies — either by providing a coherent explanation of its legal opinion or by reissuing its decision for bona fide policy reasons that would preclude judicial review — so it will not do so again." The D.C. judge also added that most of the Trump administration's arguments for ending DACA "simply repackage legal arguments previously made," and do not hold up in court.

DACA was put in place in 2012 by the Obama administration in order to protect those who were brought into the United States as children from deportation, as well as help them apply for work permits. Yet many people say the program isn’t a perfect solution; it was put in place while the government deliberated over the Dream Act, which has not yet been passed since it was first introduced in 2001. Activists are lobbying not just for DACA to be reinstated, but for the government to sign a “clean” Dream Act into law.

In September 2017, the Trump administration said that it would be "phasing out" the DACA program over the course of six months — an announcement that has been met with plenty of legal pushback. The program currently protects more than 700,000 people.

While Bates's latest ruling is certainly a step in the right direction, it's important to remember that the Trump administration's actions against DACA have already had several grave consequences. A 19-year-old named Manuel Antonio Cano-Pacheco was recently killed in Mexico after losing his DACA status. Another recipient found that registering for school was nearly impossible after losing her DACA status, and others grapple daily with fears of deportation.

There are still plenty of ways to help DACA recipients and those who would qualify for the Dream Act, including calling your local elected officials to emphasize the importance of the DACA program. Other organizations, such as the National Immigration Law Center and the Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights, have programs in place to assist Dreamers, so it's always worth checking to see if volunteers are needed.

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