"There is no legal, ethical or moral justification for ending DACA, which is a lawful program. President Trump manufactured this unnecessary crisis," Gupta added.
DACA Makes Economic Sense
A report from the Center for American Progress found that 87 percent of DACA beneficiaries are using their work permits and 83 percent of those working also attend school.
In a July 21 letter to Trump signed by 20 state attorneys general, California's Becerra wrote that DACA "represents a success story" for the Dreamers enrolled in the program. "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."
Besides "lost tax revenues," Becerra added, "American businesses would face billions in turnover costs, as employers would lose qualified workers whom they have trained and in whom they have invested."
David Zalesne, president of Owen Steel, asked, "Why would you take people out of the work force, who are part of the system and paying taxes?" Moody's Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi told the New York Times that five years after DACA is repealed, the US gross domestic product would be $105 billion lower than if DACA were to remain in force.
More than 400 chief executives, many from the nation's largest corporations, signed an open letter urging Trump and Congress to protect the Dreamers. They predicted, "Our economy would lose $460.3 billion from the national GDP and $24.6 billion in Social Security and Medicare tax contributions" if DACA is ended.
Sixty-four percent of Americans, including 41 percent of Republicans, support DACA, an NBC-Survey Monkey poll concluded.
Using Their Personal Data Against Them
After filling out the requisite paperwork and clearing a background check, DACA enrollees were granted renewable two-year periods of relief from deportation and issued work authorization.
People who applied for DACA were required to certify that they had come to the US before the age of 16; had continuously resided here since June 15, 2007; were either currently in school, had graduated from high school, had obtained a GED, or had been honorably discharged from the military; had not been convicted of a felony or serious misdemeanor; didn't pose a risk to national security; and were under age 30 at the time of application.
DACA applicants also had to provide their names, addresses, social security numbers, fingerprints, photos and dates of entry into the United States. Relying on assurances that this information would not be used to deport them, nearly one million young people came out as undocumented and applied for DACA.
As Trump rescinded DACA, the Department of Homeland Security stated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would not "proactively" use the data Dreamers provided to target them, except for national security or criminal investigations.
A White House memo titled "Talking Points -- DACA Rescission," says, "In general, individuals who will no longer have DACA will not proactively be referred to ICE and placed in removal proceedings unless they satisfy one of the Department's enforcement priorities."
Any DACA recipient who is arrested by police could be deported, Leon Fresco, an immigration attorney who represents several DACA recipients, told the Daily Beast. Upon arresting a person, police routinely notify ICE. Then ICE officers can ask whether the arrestee is a DACA recipient, that is, present in the US without legal papers.
"They're saying we will not give your information unless ICE tells USCIS [US Citizenship and Immigration Services] they need it to deport you, which basically means we'll give your information out whenever ICE says it's necessary to deport you," Fresco said.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
1
1
