Biden administration urges appeals court to uphold DACA program for "Dreamers"

The Biden administration and pro-immigrant advocates on Wednesday urged a panel of federal appellate judges to preserve an Obama-era policy that provides work authorization and deportation protection to hundreds of thousands of unauthorized immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children.

Brian Boynton, a Justice Department lawyer representing the administration, implored the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to reject arguments by a coalition of Republican-controlled states led by Texas that has argued the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is unlawful.

During oral arguments before the court, Boynton said Texas lacked standing to sue the federal government and argued that immigration officials have broad discretion to shield unauthorized immigrants who don't pose a threat to public safety from deportation and allow them to work legally.