Dreamers' Fate Hangs in the Balance: Legal Showdown in New Orleans

More than 200 demonstrators, including individuals protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), gathered outside a New Orleans courthouse. They rallied as appellate judges debated the Biden administration's policy shielding them from deportation. The case, likely headed to the Supreme Court, could affect 535,000 lives.

More than 200 demonstrators, including recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, gathered on Thursday outside a federal courthouse in New Orleans. These individuals, brought illegally to the United States as children, now face an uncertain future as three appellate judges weigh the Biden administration's efforts to shield them from deportation.

The legal contentiousness revolves around the status of approximately 535,000 people who have woven themselves into the fabric of American society without formal citizenship or residency. The arguments at the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals are expected to transition to the Supreme Court, where a definitive ruling on the program's legality could impact hundreds of thousands.

DACA, initially established in 2012 by then-President Obama, has been a lifeline for many to pursue education and employment opportunities. Despite legal challenges spearheaded by Texas and other Republican-led states, the policy remains central to the lives of many 'Dreamers'. The outcomes of these hearings will decide whether the legal protections offered by DACA will continue or be rescinded.

(With inputs from agencies.)