State of Texas v. United States of America and Karla Perez (Southern District of Texas, 2018)

At issue in this case is a challenge to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program by a group of states led by the Texas Attorney General seeking to permanently enjoin the DACA program based on the theory that President Obama did not have the authority to enact it. The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office intervened to defend DACA as did a group of DACA grantees represented by MALDEF.  Together, they are opposing Texas’s request that the court block DHS from adjudicating any further DACA applications. ADL joined a brief led by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and also joined by the Mississippi Center for Justice. The brief outlines our grave concerns that the termination of DACA is unjust and will severely deprive DACA recipients, their families and communities, particularly immigrant communities of color, and their residents of critical education and economic opportunities. The brief discusses that DACA recipients have served their communities and our country as educators, homeowners and military service members. A preliminary injunction in this case would thus result in massive and irreparable harm, and conflict with three federal court injunctions maintaining DACA, leading to mass confusion.