A Small Act of Rebellion

<p>Today, the Supreme Court begins hearing arguments about whether the Trump administration acted legally when it tried to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The Obama-era program known as DACA shields immigrants who were brought to the United States as children, known as Dreamers, from deportation.</p><p>In this episode, we explore why the outcome of the case may turn on a small act of rebellion by one of President Trump’s former cabinet members. </p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/julie-hirschfeld-davis?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank">Julie Hirschfeld Davis</a>, the congressional editor of The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. </p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>Elaine C. Duke, a former Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, refused to echo the White House’s policy justifications for ending DACA. Her decision led to a Supreme Court case<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/11/us/politics/supreme-court-dreamers-case.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> addressing presidential power over immigration</a>.</li><li>Meet two of<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/11/07/us/dreamers-daca-supreme-court.html?searchResultPosition=1?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> the nearly 700,000 Dreamers</a> whose families, homes and jobs may be affected by the justices’ ruling. </li></ul>