On November 12, the U.S. Supreme Court will begin to hear oral arguments to determine whether or not Trump’s termination of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) was lawful. With that being said, I wanted to clear things up about what DACA is, what DACA isn’t, and why it is important that DACA comes back.
In 2016, it was estimated that there were around 10.7 million undocumented immigrants in America – that’s about 3.3% of the entire United States population. This is a 12.7% decline from undocumented immigrants in America in 2007.
DACA was created in 2012 under the Obama administration, and it allows certain individuals lacking lawful immigration status to apply for deferral and eligibility for work authorization. To qualify for DACA, you need to have immigrated to America before 2007 below the age of 16 and be at least 16 years old when applying. It primarily helps those who were brought to America at a young age with no control over their status or legal circumstances.
Each DACA recipient has to reapply every two years, and each application fee is $495. DACA provides a temporary social security number for its recipients, and it gives the opportunity to obtain a driver’s license.
Some see DACA as a pathway to citizenship – it’s not. It’s just temporary relief. Some believe that DACA recipients do not pay their taxes – that’s simply not true. To renew and maintain DACA, you need to file taxes. Even without DACA, many undocumented immigrants turn in taxes in hopes that one day they will be able to apply for residency or citizenship. The Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA), which is the Texas version of FAFSA, offers foreign or non-citizen students options for financial aid. However, to gain this aid, your parents, or yourself, have to submit completed tax forms. Under DACA, recipients do not have access to government aid, like Obamacare or Medicaid, and they do not receive college for free. Some states have financial aid that they offer to non-citizens, but many do not – leaving DACA and undocumented students trying to pay for their college education out of pocket.
I think part of the stigma behind the immigration system in America is that some Americans see applying for citizenship the same way you apply for a driver’s license. Sure, it sucks to have to wait hours at the DMV, waiting for them to see you for 10 minutes and renew your license, but at the end of the day, it’s renewed and you’re good. Applying to be a citizen or a resident is not a long line that you can just wait in and then eventually, you get the paperwork approved. Out of the millions of undocumented immigrants in America, most of them have no option out there for how to become a resident.
Often times, people say that DACA encourages more illegal immigration into America. This is impossible. DACA is only offered for those who are already in America and that entered while a minor before 2007. Anyone who entered after that do not qualify.
DACA provided a stop gap for many young Americans who lack documented status. Unfortunately, the Trump administration ended DACA in September of 2017. Despite multiple federal judges calling for the return of the program, no action has taken place. With that, the U.S. Supreme Court is going to begin hearing arguments on whether Trump’s ending of the program was lawful or not.
His ending of DACA, simply put, was xenophobic and served no other purpose than to tear apart families and hurt young immigrants trying to work legally in America.
You might not personally be on DACA, but someone around probably is or knows someone who is. DACA needs to be restored to America; the end of it would be a life-changing and catastrophic event for many undocumented immigrants. At the end of the day, remember this: DREAMers are Americans too.