United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced yesterday (September 5) that the Trump administration will end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the Obama-era program that protects nearly 800,000 young immigrants from deportation.  

The policy was designed to give undocumented immigrants brought to the United States before they were 16 years old work permits, Social Security numbers, temporary relief from deportation proceedings and the opportunity to obtain driver’s licenses. Over the last five years, thousands of undocumented youth seeking DACA coverage have revealed themselves to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an agency that could now use the information to target them for deportation. Sessions claims the administration will allow a six-month grace period to achieve an "orderly, lawful wind down" of DACA and to prompt Congress to pass a law about one of the most partisan, intractable issues in the nation. According to The Hill, 14 states and the District of Columbia filed suit today to reverse Trump’s decision.

Dozens of demonstrations swept the country before and after the White House announced its decision. According to NPR, hundreds of Denver students walked out of school yesterday; people protested in front of Miami and Phoenix immigration offices; and gathered at the White House. In New York City hundreds gathered at what is now a go-to for progressive protests: Trump Tower. Check out scenes from the NYC action in this Colorlines video.

Producer: Tiye Rose
Videography:  Aydan Dorsett-Sobel
Music: John Crites ​