Biden administration unveils rule to shield DACA program from legal challenges

The Biden administration on Monday unveiled a proposed rule designed to insulate a deportation relief program for undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children from legal challenges that threaten the policy's existence.

The rule, set to be formally published on Tuesday, would give the public 60 days to submit comments for or against the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, which provides deportation protection and work permits to roughly 590,000 immigrants known colloquially as "Dreamers."

Homeland Security officials said the proposed rule relies on the DACA guidelines outlined in 2012, when the Obama administration created the program, and embraces the "consistent judgment" that immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as minors should not be a priority for deportation.