DACA: A Glimpse of Hope
For many young people, DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) is the reason why they can get an education and have jobs legally in the United States. These people were brought to this country illegally by their parents, at an age where they could not have possibly decided it or done it themselves. DACA protects young adults who did not have a voice in the decision to illegally immigrate to America. However, DACA has added controversy to the big issue of illegal immigration in America. People against this act argue that instead of punishing the parents of these children who broke the law by immigrating illegally to this country, we are rewarding them for their illicit actions. Today, there is a big question whether DACA should be revoked or reformed. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals should be reformed, because the United States should protect young immigrants who did not have a say in their parent’s decision of immigrating to America illegally.
The controversy regarding DACA dates to 2012, when President Barack Obama first implemented it in the United States. The main purpose of DACA is to protect children of illegal immigrants who were brought to America at a certain age. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals “allows Dreamers (DACA recipients) to obtain driver’s licenses, enroll in college, find legal employment, play income taxes, and serve in the military without fear of sudden deportation” (Donelly, 2018). Currently, there are two main point of views in our nation on this issue. Those who favor DACA and those who do not. Those who claim DACA is necessary in our country believe that it should be reformed to continue protecting young immigrants, and on the other side, those who claim DACA is not beneficial for our society believe that it should be revoked as it rewards undocumented immigrants instead of punishing them for breaking the law.People who believe DACA should be reformed to continue protecting young immigrants claim that these people came to the U.S. as children to get a better future and should not be punished for their parent’s decision to enter the country illegally. According to Gonzales (2018), before DACA was implemented, young adults who got an education and obtained advanced degrees found their work opportunities limited and often had no choice but to enter the low-wage labor market. Gonzales (2018) continues by claiming that DACA also improved the quality of life of young undocumented immigrants by giving them a sense of protection and safety, improving their mental health and general well-being. When young people don’t have to worry about certain limitations to reach their goals, it will lead to improved mental health and well-being; ultimately pushing these young people to continue fighting and working to reach their goals.
Another very important claim made by pro-DACA-reform supporters is that DACA recipients contribute greatly to the U.S. economy. According to a 2016 survey conducted by author Wong et al. (2016), 87% of the survey responders are currently employed, with an additional 8% not working but in school. Moreover, according to another survey conducted in 2013 by author Gonzales (2018), just 16 months after DACA was implemented, 59% of responders said they had gotten a new job, with an additional one fifth of the people surveyed obtaining paid internships. These reported survey results are very important because it shows that most DACA recipients are using their benefits to the full extent, focusing on employment and education, two very important factors to the economy.
On the other hand, those who believe DACA should be revoked claim that this program is a clear violation of the Constitution and that it rewards undocumented immigrants and their illicit decision of entering the U.S. illegally. According to Gheen (2017), DACA clearlyencourages people from other countries to enter and live in the U.S. illegally. People against DACA claim that to solve the issue of illegal immigration, America should revoke all government benefits, sanctuary policies, and discussions of immigration reform because by creating programs like DACA, it will only attract more illegal immigration. Moreover, they argue that instead of implementing programs that benefit undocumented immigrants, the U.S. should instead increase immigration enforcement and border security.
Another very important claim made by citizens who oppose DACA is that this program violates the U.S. Constitution. “DACA