Washington D.C., Mar 5, 2018 / 16:04 pm
Although the Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) protections did not expire on March 5, the passage of the original deadline has highlighted the uncertain fate of more than half a million Dreamers.
DACA is an Obama-era program created by executive order that offered work permits and temporary protection from deportation to people who were brought illegally to the United States as children and who registered with the program, known as Dreamers.
In September 2017, President Donald Trump sought to end the program, and gave Congress a six-month period to codify parts of DACA into law. March 5 was named as the end date for the original program. However, Congress failed to pass any legislation relating to immigration reform during this time.
Two federal judges blocked the March 5 expiration date for DACA, and the Supreme Court declined to hear an immediate review from the Trump administration protesting this decision, effectively punting the DACA issue to the fall.