EDITORIAL: U.S. needs 'Dreamers' -- lots of them

Aug. 3—Last year the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a move by the Trump administration to kill the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The decision to keep DACA in place was heralded as a major victory for all of the young undocumented immigrants referred to as "Dreamers."

But the high court rejected Trump's attempts mostly on a technicality, leaving the door open for more legal attacks on DACA, and that's just what happened.

Now a recent ruling by a federal judge in Texas that DACA is illegal has again left the 600,000 people in the program facing uncertainty about their future.

While those Dreamers don't face deportation anytime soon, the ruling put 80,000 current applications in limbo.

It's uncertain what the Supreme Court will ultimately rule when it reviews the Texas decision. DACA faces legal vulnerabilities because it was enacted by an executive order by President Barack Obama in 2012.

Rather than wait to what the Supreme Court ultimately decides, Congress should ensure the program's legal legitimacy by passing legislation approving it.

DACA protects young undocumented immigrants who in most cases had no choice in the decision to come to the United States as they were brought here by their parents. Many of the Dreamers have only known America as their country.

Those who have applied for and received DACA protection don't have to fear deportation as along as they attend school or serve in the military and have no serious criminal convictions.

Since DACA was implemented, those Dreamers have worked, served in the military, paid taxes, contributed to their communities and bettered themselves by going to school, including many who are getting or have received college degrees and advanced degrees.

With an aging demographic, lower birth rates and a growing worker shortage, America can greatly benefit by allowing Dreamers to continue contributing.

While Congress can address the issue by simply making DACA legal, a better choice would be for Congress to include DACA in a larger immigration reform bill. With the current divisiveness over immigration that may seem too much to expect from Congress.

But both parties owe it to the country to pass immigration reform that will reduce the ongoing mess at the southern border and create a way for immigrants who don't commit serious crimes to be able to work toward becoming citizens.