U.S. Supreme Court declines to review federal appeals court decision over DACA immigration program

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to review a federal appeals court decision rejecting allegations that the Department of Homeland Security unlawfully ignored the environmental impacts of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and other immigration policies, a Reuters report said.

According to the report, DACA, which was created under former President Barack Obama in 2012, protects immigrants who were brought to the United States as children from deportation.

Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS) and others had asked the high court to hear their appeal of a ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which found that a lower court correctly tossed their allegations that DHS violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the report said.

CAPS and the other groups sued in 2016, claiming that the government failed to conduct the kind of environmental review of DACA that is required for major federal actions under NEPA, the report said.

A San Diego federal judge ruled against the plaintiffs last year, and a unanimous panel of the 9th Circuit affirmed that decision in September.

The 9th Circuit said the plaintiffs lacked legal standing to bring the claims, the Reuters reported.

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich similarly sued DHS in Phoenix federal court in April, claiming the Biden administration’s moves to undo Trump-era immigration policies will lead to an influx of migrants in the state and cause harm to the environment. That case is pending.

CAPS and its co-petitioners are represented by attorney Julie Axelrod of the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that supports increased immigration restrictions. Axelrod did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A Department of Justice spokesperson declined to comment to Reuters.