A coalition of 20 Democratic attorneys general, led by California AG Xavier Becerra, are urging Donald Trump to keep the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in place, writing in a letter that “you have repeatedly expressed your support for Dreamers. Today, we join together to urge you not to capitulate to the demands Texas and nine other states.” That letter, led by Texas’s Dan Patrick, threatens to sue Trump if he does not rescind the program by September. As the letter from the coalition states, if DACA is rescinded, it doesn’t just stand to affect the lives of nearly 800,000 immigrant youth who are American in all but on paper—it stands to affect everyone.
Becerra and the other attorneys general said in their letter that DACA had transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of young immigrants, allowing them to earn college degrees, forge careers and boost their spending power.
Rescinding the program, they said, could cost American businesses “billions” in turnover costs.
“The consequences of rescinding DACA would be severe, not just for the hundreds of thousands of young people who rely on the program — and for their employers, schools, universities and families — but for the country’s economy as a whole,” the letter said.
“Should the program be terminated,” writes immigrant rights activist Julissa Arce, “the losses would be devastating … ending DACA would reduce the nation’s GDP by $433.4 billion over a decade. Another study by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center states that 685,195 young immigrants would become unemployed immediately, causing employers to incur $3.4 billion in costs associated with the termination and replacement of employees. Without DACA, tax revenue would be seriously impacted. Over the next decade, $24.6 billion in Social Security and Medicare contributions would be lost.”
Just as importantly, we must help keep immigrant youth here in the only home they’ve ever known. It’s one reason why a bipartisan set of senators have introduced legislation to do just that.
Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced a new Dream Act in Congress Wednesday, reminding Americans that there is strong bipartisan support for Dreamers—immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and are seeking citizenship. According to a recent Morning Consult and Politico poll, 78% of American voters support giving Dreamers the chance to stay permanently in America, including 73% of people who voted for President Donald Trump.
The Dream Act is a strong legislative solution that would allow young immigrants to continue living their American dream with a path to permanent residency and eventually citizenship. But until a long-term solution such as the Dream Act or comprehensive immigration reform is enacted, we need to continue protecting the nearly 800,000 immigrant youth currently living with Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). In doing so, they would not only protect these people’s futures, but also the very economic health of our country.
To the politicians who have expressed vocal support in the past for immigrant youth: here’s your chance to act. In the meantime, though, elected leaders must stand on the correct side of history and preserve DACA.
"Mr. President,” continues the letter from Becerra and others, “now is the time to affirm the commitment you made, both to the 'incredible kids' who benefit from DACA and to their families and our communities, to handle this issue 'with heart.' You said Dreamers should 'rest easy.' We urge you to affirm America's values and tradition as a nation of immigrants and make clear that you will not only continue DACA, but that you will defend it."
