Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients have recently won support from a coalition of attorneys general, as well as a number of cities, who have filed legal briefs in the Supreme Court siding with young immigrants as the case around the program goes before justices next month. Now, in an “unprecedented” move, one of the world’s largest companies has joined them as well.
"Our interest in this case is simple,” Apple executives, including CEO Tim Cook, said in their Supreme Court filing. “We are distressed at the prospect of ripping our DACA colleagues from the fabric of our company.” Apple employs nearly 450 DACA recipients across 36 states, CNN reports, and should the justices side with the Trump administration to end the popular and successful program, they will also lose the ability to work legally, and become vulnerable to deportation.
Apple’s “friend of the court” filing is also unique in that it features the personal stories of a number of these workers, like “D.O.,” who came to the U.S. when he was eight years old. D.O. described how his mom could only find work in the fields, saying “It is so tough on her body and I see how it wears her out. So seeing my mom have to work like that, I knew I needed to do everything I could, work as hard as I could, to get a job that would allow her to stop working in the fields.”
D.O. made his dream to own a computer a reality, and after learning to code, passed that knowledge to others as a mentor. Today, the filing states, he’s a valued member at Apple. "We did not hire them out of kindness or charity," the filing continues. "We did it because Dreamers embody Apple's innovation strategy. They come from diverse backgrounds and display a wide range of skills and experiences that equip them to tackle problems from different perspectives."
Of course, it’s not just Apple that would lose valued employees. A 2018 survey found that 92% of DACA recipients aged 25 and older are employed. Many of these young immigrants are business owners themselves: “6% of respondents, and 8% of those 25 years and older, started their own business after receiving DACA, outpacing the general population in terms of business creation,” the survey said.
”Sometimes I look at myself, here in the store, and I’m like, ‘oh my god, this is mine!’ said Bella Rincon, who owns a coffeeshop in Florida. Should she lose her protection, “we’ll lose it all, everything we have worked for.”
“One of Apple’s core values is the belief that equal opportunities should be available for all, regardless of background,” the company’s brief continues. “The United States is at its best when all people are free to pursue their dreams. Our country has enjoyed unparalleled success by welcoming people from around the world who seek to make a better life for themselves and their families, no matter their backgrounds. DACA is an embodiment of those ideals.”