Responses in Kansas today to the U.S. Supreme Court’s DACA ruling:
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s statement:
“Today’s decision by the United States Supreme Court to uphold protections for Dreamers was the right one. Dreamers have contributed much to our communities and to our economy, and ending DACA would have cost our state more than $335.9 million every year.
“There are more than 6,000 DACA recipients in Kansas – they serve in our military work in our hospitals, teach our kids and pay taxes. They were brought here as children, this is their home, they belong here.”
Statement from Kris Kobach, a candidate for U.S. Senate:
“The five justice majority on the Supreme Court made a mockery of the law today. The good news is that all nine justices agree the Trump administration can cancel DACA. The bad news for immigration law enforcement is that it will take a long time to complete the task. As the attorney who first challenged the DACA amnesty in the summer of 2012 representing 10 ICE agents, I can say with certainty that DACA was illegal from its inception. But today the Court says that to cancel an illegal policy, the Trump administration must jump through regulatory hoops. That is true with respect to a normal legally correct regulation, but that is not true when the policy itself violated both federal law and the Administrative Procedure Act.”
ACLU of Kansas statement:
“Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA is safe for now, and the ACLU of Kansas joins the millions of people nationwide celebrating this morning’s Supreme Court decision declaring President Trump’s efforts to end the lifeline program as reckless and unreasonable.
“Kansas has more than 6,000 DACA recipients who grew up here and have dedicated their lives to give back to our communities. Many of these DACA recipients are frontline workers supporting us and protecting us through this unforgiving COVID-19 pandemic. This was a fair and just decision.
But this victory is only temporary.
“The majority opinion, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, made it clear that the Trump Administration, through the Department of Homeland Security, has the authority to rescind DACA with solid justification. The problem here was that the way his administration went about trying to end the program was “arbitrary and capricious,” and therefore violated administrative law.
“Like the constant vigilance we have dedicated to guarding civil liberties civil rights at the ACLU of Kansas, protecting the rights of undocumented young people remains an on-going fight.
“We are in solidarity with the undocumented youth and their families. We celebrate the immeasurable contributions DACA recipients bring to our families, our communities, our state, and our country. We are here for the celebration, but more importantly, for the work ahead.”
UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court decision that temporarily allows the more than 700,000 young people in DACA to remain in the country:
“Today the Supreme Court sided with the vast majority of Americans by protecting DACA recipients from President Trump’s inhumane mission to deport as many people as possible. This decision is a victory for DREAMers — and for the entire country. DREAMers are already home, building families, creating communities and helping lift up everyone in America. Today’s decision validates the need for Congress to act and deliver the lasting decision DREAMers and the millions of American families they are members of deserve. And today we celebrate the commitment and fight of young advocates across the country who have fought so hard to make today possible.”