Joe Biden said that he will send a bill to Congress on his first day as president to make the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program permanent.
The former vice president and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee made the pledge after a Thursday Supreme Court decision that blocked President Trump from ending DACA.
"The Supreme Court’s ruling today is a victory made possible by the courage and resilience of hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients who bravely stood up and refused to be ignored," Biden said in a statement Thursday. "As president, I will immediately work to make it permanent by sending a bill to Congress on day one of my administration."
Previously, Biden had said that he would fully reinstate DACA through executive action and ensure that DACA recipients are able to take advantage of federal student aid programs.
Biden has also promised to pause deportations of non-felons and create a pathway to citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants.
"As Justice Roberts said, the Trump administration's action was capricious and arbitrary. If Trump attempts to repeal DACA again — an unconscionable action, particularly during this unprecedented public health crisis — he will be responsible for upending the lives of hundreds of thousands of young people and bringing harm to families and communities all across the country," he said.
