University of California sues Trump over decision to end DACA

The University of California system announced Friday it is suing President Trump over his decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

The system and its president, Janet Napolitano, who as Homeland Security secretary helped create the program under former President Obama, filed a lawsuit against Trump over his decision to end the program with a six-month delay.

“Dreamers face expulsion from the only country that they call home based on nothing more than unreasoned executive whim,” the lawsuit says, referring to recipients of DACA.

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“It is hard to imagine a decision less reasoned, more damaging, or undertaken with less care.”

In a statement, Napolitano said ending DACA is “contrary to our national values and bad policy.”

“Neither I, nor the University of California, take the step of suing the federal government lightly, especially not the very agency that I led,” Napolitano said. “It is imperative, however, that we stand up for these vital members of the UC community. They represent the best of who we are — hard working, resilient and motivated high achievers. To arbitrarily and capriciously end the DACA program, which benefits our country as a whole, is not only unlawful, it is contrary to our national values and bad policy.”

The lawsuit also argues that the university will lose “vital members of its community, students and employees” if DACA is ended.

“UC has approximately 4,000 undocumented students, a substantial number of whom are DACA recipients,” the lawsuit says. “These individuals make important contributions to University life, expanding the intellectual vitality of the school, filling crucial roles as medical residents, research assistants, and student government leaders, and increasing the diversity of the community.”

The Trump administration announced Tuesday that it was ending the Obama-era program, which protected immigrants who came to the country illegally as children from deportation.

“The program known as DACA that was effectuated under the Obama administration is being rescinded,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement.

In his own statement, Trump said Obama’s creation of the DACA program was beyond his constitutional responsibilities.

“There can be no path to principled immigration reform if the executive branch is able to rewrite or nullify federal laws at will,” Trump said.

Fifteen states filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Trump over his decision to end DACA, alleging Trump’s decision to roll back the program was discriminatory.