15 states and District of Columbia sue Trump administration over DACA repeal

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Fifteen States and the District of Columbia on Wednesday filed a lawsuit to preserve a program shielding young migrants brought to the United States illegally, one day after it was rescinded by the White House.

The program, named the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), was implemented in 2012 to essentially provide a legal status for recipients or a renewable two-year term work authorization.

Approximately 800,000 people have participated in the program across the United States and are often referred to as "Dreamers."

Young immigrants, activists and supporters of the DACA program march through downtown Los Angeles, California on September 5, 2017. /AFP Photo

"Immigration is the lifeblood of New York State. The Trump administration's decision to end DACA is cruel, inhumane, and devastating to the 42,000 New Yorkers who have been able to come out of the shadows and live a full life as a result of the program," said New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman in a news conference.

He added that president Donald Trump's DACA repeal would not only affect life of the Dreamers and their families, but also cause huge economic harm to New York.

The lawsuit, which was filed Wednesday afternoon in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, details how the Trump administration has violated the Equal Protection clause of the Constitution by discriminating against Dreamers of Mexican origin, who make up 78 percent of DACA recipients; violated Due Process rights; and harmed the states' residents, institutions, and economies.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency