DACA recipients face new threats

A wrongheaded ruling from the Justice Department shortchanges dreamers.

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Editorials

April 29, 2026 - 4:22 PM

US Representative Delia Ramirez, Democrat from Illinois, speaks during a news conference with immigration experts, DACA recipients, and Dreamers to mark the 13th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program on June 11, 2025. Last week, the Trump administration stripped DACA recipients from being able to purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act as well as challenging states that offer DACA students in-state tuition. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images/TNS)

The Trump administration last week made it easier to deport illegal immigrants who were brought to the United States when they were children. That’s part of a broader effort that could send roughly 500,000 “dreamers” back into the shadows.

For years, these immigrants have been protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, which once enjoyed widespread bipartisan support. That’s because lawmakers from both parties understood that these young people are assets to the economy. DACA allowed them to go to college and pursue careers that might lead…

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