The largest survey to date of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients finds that immigrant youth from the program are making significant societal and financial contributions to our nation, resulting in “more prosperous local, state and national economies” and “safer and stronger communities through increased access to cars and home ownership.” DACA recipients are deeply engrained in our nation, “buying cars, purchasing their first homes,” and boosting our economy by “creating new businesses. The survey’s results also show that at least 72 percent of the top 25 Fortune 500 companies employ DACA recipients.” In other words, DACA’s survival is critical to our economy’s growth:
The purchasing power of DACA recipients continues to increase. In the 2017 study, nearly two-thirds of respondents, or 65 percent, reported purchasing their first car. The average cost paid was $16,469. As we have noted previously, these large purchases matter in terms of state revenue, as most states collect a percentage of the purchase price in sales tax, along with additional registration and title fees. The added revenue for states comes in addition to the safety benefits of having more licensed and insured drivers on the roads.
The data also show that 16 percent of respondents purchased their first home after receiving DACA. Among respondents 25 years and older, this percentage rises to 24 percent. The broader positive economic effects of home purchases include the creation of jobs and the infusion of new spending in local economies.
Additionally—and importantly—the data show that at least 72 percent of the top 25 Fortune 500 companies—including Walmart, Apple, General Motors, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, Home Depot, and Wells Fargo, among others—employ DACA recipients. All told, these companies account for $2.8 trillion in annual revenue.
The survey, conducted by the Center for American Progress, the National Immigration Law Center, immigrant youth organization United We Dream, and the University of California, San Diego, finds that immigrant youth embody the entrepreneurial spirit, with DACA recipients “outpacing the general population in terms of business creation.”
“Because of DACA, I opened a restaurant,” a DACA recipient and respondent said. “We are contributing to the economic growth of our local community. We pay our fair share of taxes and hire employees […] It will be hard to maintain my business if DACA ended. I depend on my [social security number] for a lot of my business, such as when getting licenses, permits, leases, and credit.”
Through the DACA program—which allows immigrant youth to work legally, apply for driver’s licenses, pursue higher education and apply for professional licenses—immigrant youth not only lift up their own families, but all communities:
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.
The data also show that respondents’ average annual earnings come out to $36,232, and their median annual earnings total $32,000. Among respondents 25 years and older, the figures are $41,621 and $37,595, respectively. These higher wages are not just important for recipients and their families but also for tax revenues and economic growth at the local, state, and federal levels.
“Our findings could not paint a clearer picture,” state the researchers. “DACA has been unreservedly good for the U.S. economy and for U.S. society more generally. Previous research has shown that DACA beneficiaries will contribute $460.3 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product over the next decade—economic growth that would be lost were DACA to be eliminated.” And, with 800,000 immigrant youth at sudden risk of deportation if Donald Trump rescinds the program, the human cost cannot be understated. To help defend Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and the 800,000 immigrant youth who have benefitted from the program, visit DefendDACA.com today.
