What is DACA? DACA stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. It is a policy which gives an opportunity to undocumented immigrants to get an education or a proper job; however, there are strict requirements that have to be followed in order to have a chance to join. In the literature “Perceptions of Shifting Legal Ground: DACA and the Legal Consciousness of Undocumented Students and Graduates” Richelle S. Swan and Marisol Clark- Ibanez mention the conditions for possible acceptance. The applicant must have arrived to the U.S. before the age of sixteen, be present in the U.S for at least five years, be thirty-one years old or younger as of June 15, 2007, have a clear criminal record, must not pose a threat to national security or public safety, be enrolled in or graduated high school or honorable service in the United States military. In addition to this, the applicant has to pay a fee to apply.
DACA was passed by president Barack Obama in June 2012 which gave hope to approximately 800,000 individuals. By September 2017, Donald Trump gave an end to their hopes. Just like Jose Cervantes, a Hartnell College student. Being part of DACA gave him hope to strive in life. Entering the U.S. territory at a young age had a big impact on his life. He was unaware of his situation until his senior year when he was preparing for college. An unknown fear grew within him. Jose was terrified due to the fact that his goals were going to be affected. With DACA Jose had the chance to both, attend college and work. Many believe that DACA should not exist because it is unconstitutional and because it takes away jobs from Americans, yet, DACA should be renewed because it helps the economy, improves the recipients’ lives, and it is morally right.
A reason why policy Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was removed was because it is “unconstitutional.” Due to the fact that when Obama initiated DACA, he bypassed Congress, many claim that the program is not constitutional. Without a doubt, Obama did take advantage of his power; however, no court has declared Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals unconstitutional. In the article “What have courts said about the constitutionality of DACA?,” Miriam Valverde quotes New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s claim that states “We have found that he is right: DACA’s constitutionality has not been determined by courts” (2). It is a fact that courts have not declared DACA unconstitutional and the lawsuit that reach the court was discharged. “‘To my knowledge, no court has ruled DACA 2012 as unconstitutional and the one to even reach the court was dismissed on jurisdictional grounds,’ concurred Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, a la professor and director of the Center for Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Pennsylvania State University” (Valverde 3). There is not a good reason why DACA should have been suspended.
Claiming that DACA is unconstitutional is not a sufficient argument to end the hopes of 800,000 young individuals. Obama’s decision of introducing DACA is not only important to the 800,000 young individuals, it is also fundamental for the United States. Some argue that DACA should be abolished; although, putting an end to DACA would cause the economy to decline. DACA should be renewed because it has an effect on the economy. With DACA, recipients were granted the opportunity to get a proper job as well as an education. Undoubtedly, the majority of the recipients to advantage of the marvelous opportunity. In the article “End of DACA alters 800,000 futures” Alan Gomez describes a survey conducted by University of California that concluded that ninety-one percent of DACA recipients were employed (1). DACA made it easier for young immigrants to get better paying jobs which gave them an opportunity to purchase cars, homes or start businesses. According to the article “‘Dreamers’ brace for Trump actions” written by Daniel Gonzalez “Through higher wages, people with work permits through DACA have been able to buy cars, homes, and start new businesses, which increases tax revenue to cities and states…” (2). When an individual makes any kind of purchase, they pay taxes.
When the DACA recipients are purchasing cars, homes or start a business, they pay taxes which is money that will eventually go toward the country. DACA recipients are definitely being benefited; however, United States is also being benefited due to DACA. In addition to this, DACA recipients are contributing to the success of big corporations like Facebook, Apple, Google, etc. How are they contributing? In the literature “FACT CHECK: Are DACA Recipients Stealing Jobs Away From Other Americans?” Danielle Kurtzleben states “…DACA recipients are relatively well-educated, meaning they have the capacity to make the economy that much more productive” (3). DACA recipients are more productive which definitely helps the corporations. The effects on the corporations are so big that their leaders are siding with DACA. “Heads of more than 500 companies, including Apple, Facebook, General Motors, Google, Levi Strauss and United Airlines, sent a letter to Trump arguing that DACA enrollees are “vital to the future of our companies and our economy.””( Gomez 2). Many may ask themselves, how are DACA recipients helping big corporations?
The answer is simple, they are more efficient. On the other hand, many believe that DACA recipients are taking jobs away from many Americans.Many may argue that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals took away jobs from Americans. For instance, the Attorney General Jeff Sessions. In the literature “ FACT CHECK: Are DACA Recipients Stealing Jobs Away From Other Americans?” Danielle Kurtzleben quotes Sessions claim that “…the beneficiaries of the program ended up denying jobs ‘to hundreds of thousands of Americans by allowing those same illegal aliens to take those jobs’” (1). Just like Sessions, many argue that DACA recipients are taking jobs away from Americans despite not having any evidence. Kurtzleben later quotes chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, Mark Zandi, who counter argues that there is no evidence that demonstrates that DACA recipients are taking jobs away from Americans. Immigrants taking jobs away from Americans is just a wrong idea that was used to abolish DACA. In the Q&A “Immigration expert Raul Hinojosa-Ojeda on the elimination of DACA,” Hinojosa-Ojeda states that “One of the biggest misconceptions is that undocumented people and DACA recipients take away jobs. The vast amount of research shows that immigrants, and particularly the high-skilled DACA recipients, add significantly to the economy, expand the amount of economic activity and expand the total amount of employment” (2).
It is evident that DACA recipients are helping with job openings. Many began their businesses and just like any other business they will need employees. The literature “DACA Recipients’ Economic and Educational Gains Continue to Grow” states the following,“…5 percent of respondents started their own business after receiving DACA. Among respondents 25 years and older, this climbs to 8 percent. As the 2016 survey noted, among the American public as a whole, the rate of starting a business is 3.1 percent, meaning that DACA recipients are outpacing the general population in terms of business creation” (2-3). Without a doubt, the argument “DACA recipients are taking jobs away from Americans” is baseless. DACA is helping create more jobs. Without DACA, a numerous amount of jobs will definitely be lost. DACA definitely help the economy; furthermore, it definitely benefits the recipients. The policy Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals should be renewed because it has a great impact on its recipients’ lives; for instance, it gives the recipients freedom. Before DACA was introduced, every young immigrant would be afraid of being detained and deported.
When DACA was presented in 2012, the fear for many went away. In the literature “How DACA Has Improved the Lives of Undocumented Young People” Zenen Jaimes Perez claims that surveys demonstrate that “DACA recipients can more comfortably move through their daily routines…” (6). DACA recipients are able to move more comfortably because they can do their routines under the law without being detained and deported. In a way, they were provided freedom because they did not have to hide in the shadows. They had the opportunity to do things just like any other individual in the country. With DACA, young immigrants do not have to fear being stopped while driving without a license. “‘After receiving my license I began driving with confidence and now I have developed a sense of freedom that I did not know about and I am no longer limited by what 100 senators and 435 representatives have to say; I can say I am finally free. My freedom means being able to drive and work without fear of deportation; my freedom means being able to talk to people one on one and not letting their immigration status intimidate me…” (Swan and Clark-Ibáñez 85).
DACA has given young immigrants the opportunity to work, but most importantly, DACA has given young immigrants freedom. One should support Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals simply because it is morally right. DACA recipients were unwillingly imported at a young age. They were brought without a choice. They grew up in United States just like an American. Why not give them a chance to be successful? With DACA they are given the chance to dream. To have a goal. To be successful in life in the only country they know. How could that be possibly wrong? Without DACA the fear of being deported will grow within them again. In the article “DACA freeze stirs rage, fear across nation” Jamie Martines and Natasha Lindstrom talk about Ana Alberto. Alberto, just like many, absolutely care about DACA because it gives them the chance to get a college education, get a driver’s license and get a job. To make it simple, DACA allows the young immigrants to finally be equal to any other person in United States. With DACA they will not have to hide in the shadows due to fear of being deported. If they are deported, they will be taken to an unknown world. In the article “Trump Ends ‘Dreamers’ Program” Brian Bennett and Joseph Tanfani quote Barack Obama’s wise words. “Ultimately, this is about basic decency.
This is about whether we are people who kick hopeful young strivers out of America, or whether we treat them the way we’d want our own kids to be treated” (3). Who wouldn’t want the best for their children? It is evident that renewing the policy Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals would be a great choice for United States. Just like the recipients will be benefited, United States will also benefit from it. Furthermore, the economy will go up. There will definitely be more jobs. Most importantly, DACA recipients will not have to fear from being deported. Just like Jose Cervantez, from Hartnell College, every young immigrant should be granted an opportunity to have an education, get a driver’s license and have a proper, well-paying job. Jose is on the way to being successful. Since 2012, Jose has been working as a teacher’s assistant for students with disabilities and is pursuing the career of an auto mechanic. DACA should be renewed because it did not just impact 800,000 young immigrant lives, it impacted the whole country.
Works Cited
- Bennett, Brian, and Joseph Tanfani. ‘Trump Ends ‘Dreamers’ Program.’ Los Angeles Times, 06Sep, 2017, pp. A. 1., SIRS Issues Researcher, https://sks.sirs.com.
- Kendall, Rebecca. “Immigration expert Raúl Hinojosa-Ojeda on the elimination of DACA.” UCLA Newsroom, 18 Sept. 2017, www.newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/immigration-expert-raul-hinojosa-ojeda-on-the-elimination-of-daca.
- Kurtzleben, Danielle. “FACT CHECK: Are DACA Recipients Stealing Jobs Away From OtherAmericans?” NPR, NPR, 6 Sept. 2017, www.npr.org/2017/09/06/548882071/fact-check-are-daca-recipients-stealing-jobs-away-from-other-americans.
- Gomez, Alan. “End of DACA alters 800,000 futures.” USA Today, 6 Sept. 2017, p. 01A.Opposing Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A503692600/OVIC?u=cclc hart&xid=e8d296e1. Accessed 3 Nov. 2017.
- Gonzalez, Daniel. ”Dreamers’ Brace for Trump Actions.’ Arizona Republic Jan 25 2017.ProQuest. Web. 25 Oct. 2017 .
- Martines, Jamie, and Natasha Lindstorm. “DACA freeze stirs rage, fear across nation.” Pittsburgh Tribune- Review [Pittsburgh, PA], 6 Sept. 2017.
- Opposing Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A503500626/OVIC?u=cclc hart&xid=90f425ea. Accessed 3 Nov. 2017.
- Pérez, Zenen Jaimes. ‘How DACA Has Improved the Lives of Undocumented Young People.’ Center for American Progress. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2017.
- Schneiderman, Eric, and in Show. ‘Have Courts Ruled On DACA’s Constitutionality?.’@politifact. N.p., 2017. Web. 5 Dec. 2017.
- Swan, Richelle S. and Marisol Clark-Ibáñez. ‘Perceptions of Shifting Legal Ground: Daca andthe Legal Consciousness of Undocumented Students and Graduates.’ Thomas Jefferson Law Review, vol. 39, no. 2, Spring2017, pp. 67-92.
- EBSCOhost, einstein.hartnell.edu:2048/login?url=http://einstein.hartnell.edu:2149/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=124293169&site=ehost-live.
- Tom K. Wong, Greisa Martinez Rosas, Adam Luna, Henry Manning, Adrian Reyna, PatrickO’Shea, Tom Jawetz, and Philip E. Wolgin. “DACA Recipients’ Economic and Educational Gains Continue to Grow.” Center for American Progress, 2 Nov. 2017, www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2017/08/28/437956/daca-recipients-economic-educational-gains-continue-grow/.
