WASHINGTON – A U.S. judge on Tuesday said he could not ignore what hecalled “vicious” comments about Latinos made by President Donald Trump ashe considers whether to block the president’s decision to end a programthat protects immigrants brought to the United States illegally as childrenfrom deportation.
U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis said at a hearing in Brooklyn thatthe Republican president’s comments could be evidence that his Septemberdecision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, orDACA, was motivated by Trump’s “animus” toward Latinos. DACA was created in2012 under Trump’s Democratic predecessor Barack Obama
“In this country, in over 230 years, this is not ordinary,” Garaufis said,referring to statements Trump has made on Twitter and elsewhere. “It’sextreme. It’s recurring. It’s vicious.”
The judge did not specify the Trump remarks with which he was taking issue.But Trump critics often point to his claim that Mexico was sending rapistsand murderers into the United States, his disparaging words about a U.S.judge of Mexican-American heritage and other comments.
Often called “Dreamers,” hundreds of thousands of young adults, mostlyHispanics, have been granted protection from deportation and given workpermits under DACA. Garaufis is presiding over a lawsuit brought by severalDACA recipients and by states including New York, Massachusetts andWashington.
The plaintiffs are asking Garaufis to issue an injunction that would leavethe DACA program in place. Garaufis did not make a decision at Tuesday’shearing, or say when he would. Under Trump’s action, DACA is set to expirein March.
U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco issued an order on Jan.9 keeping DACA in place, which Trump is asking the U.S. Supreme Court tooverturn.
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said at a news conference onTuesday that the plaintiffs in the New York case are seeking an ordercovering people who became eligible to apply for DACA since Trump acted torescind it. Schneiderman said Alsup’s order did not cover such people.
Trump said last week he was open to a deal that would offer a path tocitizenship for illegal immigrants who qualify for DACA protections inexchange for curbing some legal immigration programs and providing fundingfor a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. – Agencies