Biden calls judge's decision to halt DACA program 'deeply disappointing,' says DOJ will appeal ruling - The Washington Post

President Biden on Saturday said it was “deeply disappointing” that a federal judge had decided to halt much of an Obama administration initiative that protected undocumented “dreamers” who arrived in the United States as children, and said the Justice Department planned to appeal the ruling.

The judge’s decision also prompted Biden and other Democrats to redouble their pleas to Congress to pass legislation — even if it required a budget reconciliation process — that would provide a path to citizenship to dreamers.

“Only Congress can ensure a permanent solution by granting a path to citizenship for Dreamers that will provide the certainty and stability that these young people need and deserve,” Biden said in a statement.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Saturday that he too was “disappointed” by Hanen’s decision but that the department would continue processing DACA renewal requests, consistent with the ruling.

Like Biden, Mayorkas also called on Congress to pass the American Dream and Promise Act through the reconciliation process “to provide permanent protection that the American people want and Dreamers have earned.”.

On Saturday morning, several DACA recipients and activists gathered in front of United Methodist Church in Washington to rally against the ruling and call on Congress to act.

Durbin (D-Ill.), who has sponsored legislation for the past 20 years to grant dreamers citizenship — without success — said Congress had “found excuses to put off this decision” for too many years.

“Now will Senator Durbin schedule debate and vote on a bill that will provide DACA recipients some certainty?” Cornyn said in a tweet after the ruling.

“In the coming days, we’re going to hear a lot about different politicians on both sides of the aisle who will come out and say to support DACA recipients,” said Bruna Sollod, a United We Dream spokeswoman and a DACA recipient