Trump criticizes DOJ for silence on Arizona ‘Dreamer’ driver’s licenses
Mar 22, 2018, 11:56 AM | Updated: 12:22 pm
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
PHOENIX — President Donald Trump criticized the Department of Justice in a Wednesday tweet after it remained silent on a Supreme Court decision that will allow “Dreamers” to continue to get driver’s licenses in Arizona.
Department of Justice should have urged the Supreme Court to at least hear the Drivers License case on illegal immigrants in Arizona. I agree with @LouDobbs. Should have sought review.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 21, 2018
Trump said he sided with Fox News host Lou Dobbs, who seemed dumbfounded at the court’s decision, saying things like “Are you kidding me?” and “I don’t think the court system is in tune with the times we live.”
The Supreme Court handed down its decision on Monday to leave in place an appeals’ court decision without comment.
Then-Gov. Jan Brewer issued an executive order to prohibit Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals-protected immigrants from receiving state benefits, including driver’s licenses. The federal appeals court blocked the policy in 2014.
Brewer called the ruling “outrageous” and “misguided.”
Arizona was the first state to oppose DACA.
Trump’s administration has been trying to rescind the program, but has been blocked by federal courts. The president ordered in September that the program start shutting down in March.
Brewer said after the Trump announcement that Congress’ failure to pass immigration reform had not worked for anyone.
“I can’t imagine what all these 800,000 DACA recipients are feeling,” she told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News last year.
“They’re living lives that are not desirable. The majority of us, we have no idea how they deal with it day in and day out but we also are a country of laws.”
The high court recently declined the administration’s request to take on the DACA case.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.