President Trump says he will renew his administration’s effort to end legal protections for young immigrants after Supreme Court blocked the first try.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday upheld legal protections for young immigrants, but its 5-4 ruling doesn't provide a guarantee that they'll get to keep them long term.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program allows hundreds of thousands of immigrants to live and work legally in the United States and shields them from deportation.

A divided Congress is unlikely to pass legislation providing a path to citizenship anytime soon.

But advocates vow to keep fighting for legislation for a long-term solution for 650,000 immigrants who were brought to the country as children.

Chief Justice John Roberts, who joined the four liberals justices on the bench, delivered the opinion for the court, writing that the Trump administration's decision to unwind the program was "arbitrary and capricious" under the Administrative Procedure Act.

Roberts wrote the court does "not decide whether DACA or its rescission are sound policies," but said the Department of Homeland Security should revisit the issue.

"We address only whether the agency complied with the procedural requirement that it provide a reasoned explanation for its action. Here the agency failed to consider the conspicuous issues of whether to retain forbearance and what if anything to do about the hardship to DACA recipients," he wrote for the majority. "That dual failure raises doubts about whether the agency appreciated the scope of its discretion or exercised that discretion in a reasonable manner."

The justices rejected administration arguments that the eight-year-old Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program is illegal and that courts have no role to play in reviewing the decision to end DACA.

U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) issued the following statement:

“DACA empowered undocumented youth to come out of the shadows and contribute to our communities in immeasurable ways – from serving in our military to being on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. Today’s ruling allows Dreamers to continue giving back to the only country they call home, but a sense of uncertainty still hangs over them. Congress must provide permanent relief for Dreamers and finally give them the opportunity to become full citizens of this country.”

U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) released the following statement:

“Today the U.S. Supreme Court took a significant step toward validating the right of Dreamers to continue to live, work, learn, and contribute to their communities right here in the United States, their home. While I am pleased to see the Court conclude that the Trump Administration’s decision to terminate DACA was arbitrary and capricious, we need to continue fighting for a permanent solution for our nation’s Dreamers,” said Senator Rosen. “And while we celebrate this victory, we must recommit ourselves to the continued pursuit of legislation that offers a path to citizenship for DACA recipients and other undocumented youth. Now more than ever, I urge my colleagues in Congress to protect Dreamers and work towards passing legislation like the DREAM Act and comprehensive immigration reform once and for all. I will continue working in Congress to ensure that Dreamers are treated with the respect, dignity, and the fairness they deserve.”

Representative Dina Titus of Nevada’s First Congressional District released the following statement:

“Donald Trump’s decision to terminate DACA was always evil at its core,” said Congresswoman Titus (NV-1). “Now we know that it was also illegal. This is a major victory for the 14,000 DREAMers in Nevada. I’ll continue to fight to pass the Dream and Promise Act to secure their place in the only country they have ever known.”

Statement from the Washoe County School District Board of Trustees and Superintendent Dr. Kristen McNeill:

The Washoe County School District and the WCSD Board of Trustees applaud today’s ruling by the United States Supreme Court which supports DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals).

“We are thrilled to hear of today’s decision by the Supreme Court,” said WCSD Board President Malena Raymond. “Members of our community who are affected by this ruling came to the United States as minors, and today’s Supreme Court decision reaffirms their rightful place in this country. This is their home. Our DACA students and staff are treasured members of our school families who bring a multitude of talents, strengths, and gifts to our community and our world.”

“As a District, we are grateful that the high court has expressed its support for our young people whose families brought them to the United States to earn an education and pursue their dreams,” said WCSD Superintendent Dr. Kristen McNeill. “WCSD stands in support of all students and families of color, our students and families who are immigrants to this country, our LGBTQQIA++ students, families, and staff, and all persons who might otherwise be marginalized because of who they are, the color of their skin, where they came from, or under what circumstances they arrived in the United States. We are working to intentionally address inequities within our school system, and that is why we are so happy to hear of this decision by the high court.

“We are committed to providing an inclusive, equitable, culturally responsive, and welcoming environment in our District as we work to protect the welfare of all of our 64,000 students and 8,000 employees. We will not tolerate those who would seek to prevent our students, families, and staff members from having the opportunity to teach, learn, work, and become productive members of our community. This decision opens doors for our students who are just beginning their adult lives, and offers hope and promise to all DACA recipients who may now plan for their future with confidence. WCSD wholeheartedly welcomes today’s ruling from the highest court in the land.”

In February 2017, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adopt a Safe Haven resolution, which states unequivocally the District’s commitment to ensuring all students have the knowledge and skills they need to succeed “regardless of factors such as race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, English proficiency, immigration status, socioeconomic status, or disability.”

This resolution declared that our District is a “Safe Haven for all in the educational community threatened by immigration enforcement or discrimination.”

NextGen America Executive Director Ben Wessel released the following statement:

"Today, the Supreme Court kept our country’s promise to countless Dreamers who now live without fear of deportation from the only country they’ve ever called home. But that won’t last long if President Trump and his allies in the Senate are allowed to keep pushing their anti-immigrant agenda. That’s why NextGen is working with young voters all over the country to elect candidates that share our generation’s inclusive vision for this country’s future."

President Trump to Renew Effort to End Legal Protection for Young Immigrants

 

 

 

(The Associated Press, CBS News contributed to this report.)