LOS ANGELES –  MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) held a press briefing Monday to discuss the recent updates to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and an upcoming hearing in Texas in a multi-state challenge to DACA.

In 2018, a coalition of states led by Texas filed a federal lawsuit challenging the legality of DACA. The case is known as Texas v. United States. MALDEF represents 22 DACA recipients who intervened in the case because the Trump administration would never adequately defend the Obama-era initiative in court.

A hearing is scheduled in a Houston federal court on December 22, 2020. At that time, U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen will hear oral argument on the parties’ competing motions for summary judgment.  In addition to arguing that DACA is a lawful initiative, MALDEF will argue in favor of dismissing the case because the states have failed to show injury resulting from DACA’s implementation, or in the alternative, that the court should deny summary judgment to the plaintiff states because a trial is necessary to resolve disputed facts in the case.

Monday’s briefing included remarks by MALDEF President and General Counsel Thomas A. Saenz; MALDEF Vice President of Litigation Nina Perales; Maria Gabriela “Gaby” Pacheco, Director of Advocacy, Development, and Communications for TheDream.US; and DACA recipient, medical student, and MALDEF client, Jin K. Park.

Listen to a recording of the briefing HERE.