In November 2016, Donald Trump was elected as the President of the United States. One of Trump administration’s biggest proposals was to end DACA. This decision had caused an outrage across the nation. Now, what is DACA? DACA stands for the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals which protects young immigrants from deportation and assists them in various ways. DACA was initiated by President Obama in 2012 through an executive order. If this proposal continues, this action will hurt young immigrant students and children. Problems that will occur is with funding and limitations for education, separation of families and access to needs such as medical, employment, licenses; and economic growth. By the end of DACA, President Trump and his administration are preventing many immigrant adolescents from succeeding in the United States.
In 2001, Senators Dick Durbin and Orrin Hatch’s had a proposal called The Dream Act. This is similar to DACA but at that time, this proposal had failed, however, President Obama had proposed DACA in 2012. Furthermore, as President Trump has been elected, he and his administration want to end the policy. According to the article What is DACA and What does the Trump Administration want to do with it? The article states that “Earlier this year, Trump released his “four pillars” of immigration reform, which included a provision for legal status for DACA recipients and others who would be eligible for DACA status. The White House estimated that total to be 1.8 million people. The Senate rejected the plan.” Congress had rejected Trump and his administration’s plan, and through this day, people are fighting to keep DACA. While others oppose and continue to support it, these individuals act against the program and its immigrant recipients by protesting or expressing their feelings on the internet.
Moreover, there are many pros to illegal immigration and DACA. Some may ask how exactly is DACA beneficial to young immigrants? DACA helps young immigrants who came here with their parents at a young age such as myself in various ways. One of the most important benefits of DACA for recipients is an eligibility for employment from a work permit. Thousands of immigrants will lose access to employment if Trump and his administration keep fighting to end DACA. This will also affect the economy. According to Tom K Wong, a Senior Fellow for the American Progress. He states “The data indicate that 21 percent of respondents work in educational and health services, 11 percent work in the nonprofit sector, 9 percent work in wholesale and retail trades, and 8 percent work in professional and business services. The results illustrate that DACA recipients are contributing across all sectors of the economy.” DACA recipients assist the economy by contributing to businesses and services across the nation, affecting the flow of economy in progressive ways.
Another example of a dreamer that has been provided with a work permit is Nicolas Ugas Valencia. In an article Ugaz-Valencia from an article by Elizabeth Chmurak, an editor from NBC news. In her article, Ugas Valencia has stated ‘Without DACA I can’t work, without DACA I can’t walk the streets safe thinking I’m not going to get deported,’ said Ugaz-Valencia. “Knowing that it was going to be disbanded I was terrified every single day.”. Like Ugaz-Valencia, many dreamers live in fear, immigrants should not be punished and have their lives be lived in fear while also contributing to society by working and establishing careers through education.
The most important benefit for DACA recipients is their protection from deportation and the avoidance of family separation. How does America expect their future to be successful when it consists of young immigrant adolescents who may not have a family for support? According to an article from the Community Psychology: The Effects of Deportation on Families, the article states: “Family members left behind suffer multiple psychosocial consequences. Separation of a child from a parent due to deportation is associated with economic hardship, housing instability, and food insecurity” The removal of DACA will not better the economy but create children who do not have proper guidance, love, and care from their parents. The article also states “Following immigration raids and deportations, community members are often more fearful and mistrustful of public institutions, and less likely to participate in churches, schools, health clinics, cultural activities, and social services” Children will lose motivation in succeeding in school or programs due to hardship from separation, poverty, and housing instability leading to making bad decisions.
According to another statement from Daniel Garza, president of the conservative immigration nonprofit Libre Initiative, told Fox News that DACA offers a “Reprieve from a life of uncertainty for innocent kids who didn’t break the law.” Garza is questioning Trump and his administration on why they are making lives of illegal immigrants harder than it should be when it has not been their choice to live in the United States. This statement is valid because children will be suffering from their parents’ decision to migrate illegally, wherein this situation they are not at fault.
From my personal experience as a first-generation student coming from an immigrant background, DACA has helped me to become an aspiring business student with my college education. Before my permanent residency in 2016, I was unable to become part of programs such as Upward Bound, a high school program that guided students for college (which is Federally funded), I was unable to work and assist my mother financially and was held back from certain scholarships. When I received DACA, I received a work permit, had access to MediCAL and was given grants to assist me for my education. Without DACA, my first year in college would have been a huge risk with many loans from private corporations or banks that have high-interest rates. By being protected from deportation, and having my mother around, I became an astounding hard-working college student and a product of the Deferred Action of Childhood arrival.
In addition to that, Oregon and 15 AG’s had filed a lawsuit against President Trump for the case of DACA. According to the article from Nexis University: Oregon and 15 AGs filed a lawsuit against President Trump for DACA Ban, This article states: “ These young people have come forward, passed background checks and are living, working and going to school lawfully in Oregon. DACA recipients work in Oregon, pay taxes, are eligible for employer-based health insurance, and contribute to the economic well-being of the state. The complaint filed today also claims that rescinding DACA will harm Oregon colleges and universities ability to meet their educational missions and prepare Oregonians for the workforce.” DACA recipients are contributing to the economy by paying taxes, and establishing economic flow when working and also purchasing necessities. Dreamers will be prevented from furthering educational opportunities and contributing to society especially if has no promised replacement for it.
As the topic continues to rise, conservatives have been fighting against illegal immigration with the wall, immigration ban and also DACA. Conservatives believe that the cause of high crimes is from illegal immigrants, they also believe that illegal immigrants take employment opportunities from U.S. citizens. However, they actually contribute to society by raising wages. Editor Tom K Wong, from the American progress organization, states “The data make clear that DACA is having a positive and significant effect on wages. The average hourly wage of respondents increased by 69 percent since receiving DACA, rising from $10.29 per hour to $17.46 per hour. Among respondents 25 years and older, the average hourly wage increased by 84 percent since receiving DACA.” Recipients contribute by raising wages, if discontinued will the economy’s wage be lower since many workers will also be discontinued through the loss of work permits and also, some may even go through deportation.
Another disbenefit from continuing DACA is the many loss of workers. Economic Reporter and Journalist John W Schoen stated in his article DACA deportations could cost US Economy more than 40 Billion Dollars, : “The loss of those workers, and the paychecks they earn, would dampen the American economy, hitting hardest in states like California and Florida with the largest share of DACA participants, according to groups that support the protection of those immigrants from deportation.” If deported, it would affect the economy by the high demand of employment. Besides, educational opportunity, Conservatives have never thought about agricultural business and farmers. When immigrants are deported, will America have enough farmers for agriculture? especially in California. These hardworking people will no longer be under the protection from deportation which could lead to another issue for the economy.
Additionally, Some may argue that there is much more than employment issues and cons of illegal immigration, President Trump believes that DACA has allowed adolescents to come to the U.S to increase crime and violence, specifically gang-related as stated in the article President Trump and his DACA argument, annotated from the website the Southern Poverty Law Center : “The temporary implementation of DACA by the Obama Administration, after Congress repeatedly rejected this amnesty-first approach, also helped spur a humanitarian crisis – the massive surge of unaccompanied minors from Central America [11] including, in some cases, young people who would become members of violent gangs throughout our country [12] , such as MS-13. [13]”. The Trump and his administration demonize the DACA program and illegal immigrants and portray them as criminals who make the country a horrible place. But Trump and his administration’s statements are wrong, most adolescents seek asylum with their families for a better future in the United States.
Through the DACA controversy, President Trump and his administration had offered a deal on the table with the Democrats on board, in an article by Eliza Collins, a congressional reporter from the USA today, she states “Trump has said he wants to find a solution that would allow DACA recipients — and potentially more than 1 million other undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children but did not qualify for DACA — to stay in the United States legally. However, in exchange, the president has demanded $25 billion for a wall along the southern border and dramatic cuts to legal immigration, which Democrats say they cannot support.” Trump has put a stake on the table which affects both illegal immigrants. This action may save DACA recipients already in the U.S. but Trump calls for another issue in regards to building the wall at the border of Mexico. Although Trump is trying to make a deal, I believe the Democrats made the right decision in rejecting his offer.
Additionally, President Trump has initiated a statement through twitter blaming Democrats for the end of DACA “Daca is dead because the Democrats didn’t care or act, and now everyone wants to get onto the DACA bandwagon. No longer works. Must build Wall and secure our borders with proper Border legislation. Democrats want No Borders, hence drugs and crime!” This action has initiated more outrage across immigrant and allies across the nation. This statement is relevant because it shows the ignorance of Trump and his administration towards minorities. Building the wall is inhumane, and creates a separation, which also influences racism and white supremacy in the nation, in addition to a rejection of diversity. This action could even be worse for Latino and Latina DACA recipients who have family in Mexico.
Moreover, although conservatives may argue that crime is influenced by the arrival of illegal immigrants, however, crime rates have actually decreased since the rise of illegal immigration. This is according to the statistics collected from the article written by Emily Moon, an editor from the Pacific Standard, in her article Researcher Tells us That Immigration Does not Lead to Higher Crime Rates, Moon States “A 2018 study published in Criminology analyzed population-level crime rates from all 50 states from 1990 to 2014 and found that the relationship between immigration and crime is ‘generally negative.’ This article also states that since then crime rates have not increased but in fact, decreased: “A 2015 study found that, in the same period, the immigration population more than tripled in the United States; from 1990 to 2013, the violent crime rate decreased by 48 percent, according to Federal Bureau of Investigation data.” the correlation between illegal immigrants and crimes is invalid, moreover, young immigrants protected from DACA should not suffer from losing their benefits and even worse, they should not be deported.
In conclusion, President Trump and his administration’s decision in attempts to ending DACA, this decision will affect thousands of immigrants within the separation of families, education, employment, deportation, and economic flow. This decision also promotes division in the United States between immigrants and citizens, which influences racism and white supremacy. What Trump, his administration and his supporters do not understand is that America is built on migration. As Senator Orrin Hatch states “We also need a workable, permanent solution for individuals who entered our country unlawfully as children through no fault of their own and who have built their lives here” If Trump and his administration will continue to fight to end DACA, it is a hurtful decision that will affect many lives and also the economy of the United States. Children who grew up here with no choice from their parent’s decision should not suffer the consequence of being an illegal immigrant.” This statement represents many DACA recipients fighting for their dreams, if President Trump and his administration continue to end DACA and not come up with a better and improved alternative, America will suffer in the future for preventing many Dreamers to achieve success in America.
