Biden administration asks judge to limit DACA ruling if he finds "Dreamer" protections unlawful

The Biden administration on Thursday asked a federal judge in Texas to stop short of ordering the full termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration policy if he finds it unlawful, a last-minute attempt to limit a looming ruling that could dictate the fate of nearly 600,000 "Dreamers."

The Justice Department's filing late Thursday was part of the last set of filings ordered by U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen, who is reviewing a request by a coalition of Republican-led states led by Texas to terminate DACA over a two-year period. With all filings submitted, Hanen could issue a decision at any time.

Since it was created by the Obama administration in 2012, DACA has allowed immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children but who lack a legal immigration status to apply for two-year government work permits and deportation protections. As of the end of 2022, there were 580,310 immigrants enrolled in DACA.