Monday, June 22, 2020

A Reasoned Explanation

We do not decide whether DACA or its rescission are sound policies. "The wisdom" of those decisions "is none of our concern." Chenery II, 332 U. S., at 207.  We address only whether the agency complied with the procedural requirement that it provide a reasoned explanation for its action.  Here the agency failed to consider the conspicuous issues of whether to retain forbearance and what if anything to do about the hardship to DACA recipients.  That dual failure raises doubts about whether the agency appreciated the scope of its discretion or exercised that discretion in a reasonable manner.  The appropriate recourse is therefore to remand to DHS so that it may consider the problem anew.

It is so ordered.

-- Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the 5-4 majority in a ruling that upholds the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration program, 18 June 2020

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