It was a long wait for the Supreme Court ruling on Dreamers. And the celebration has been sweet for Dreamers, those of us who love Dreamers, count Dreamers among our family and friends, and those of us who have realized that Dreamers have always been home in America, have always been the essence of who we are as a nation. But in the midst of our celebration, the actual ruling is worth review, and that review is not as reassuring.
The Court found that the Trump administration cannot simply end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program which allows about 800,000 Dreamers to avoid deportation. The decision found that the government violated the Administrative Procedures Act by failing to give adequate justification for ending the program. In other words, the implication is that, with more adequate justification, DACA could end. This should temper somewhat our celebration and send a cold chill down the spine of any American who believes in justice for Dreamers. And, of course, Donald Trump is already touting that his administration will take just that action.
There is another thing that the decision should do to the spine of caring Americans. It should strengthen our spines and our resolves to end the presidency of Donald Trump and opt for presidential leadership that bends toward justice, that believes in science, that puts diplomacy ahead of bluster, and that cares for all children of the world. That is when Dreamers and those of us who care about Dreamers can rest a bit easier.
For more–
Listen to NPR’s interview with Dreamer Antonio Alarcon, one of the plaintiffs in the DACA case:
Read the full text of the Supreme Court decision on DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ET AL. v. REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA ET AL here: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/18-587_5ifl.pdf
THINKING SHIFT 
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