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Guyana Chronicle New York Edition week endingSeptember September 8, Guyana Chronicle New York Edition Week-ending 8, 2017 2017
CONGRESS MUST OVERRIDE THE PRESIDENT’S REPEAL OF THE DREAM PROGRAM
The ALBERT BALDEO Column
America benefits more with Childhood Arrivals
T
he dreadful news that President Donald Trump has scrapped the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy is very troubling. In addition to the legal actions to preserve and/or reinstate it, Congress must swiftly act to make it law. The people protected by DACA have been referred to as “DREAMers” and are people who were brought by their parents to America as children, before they were able to make an independent choice to immigrate. These folks are, as President Obama said when enacting DACA, American is every way--except for possessing papers. Former President Obama condemned President Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, saying a “shadow has been cast over some of our best and brightest young people once again.” Obama decided to implement DACA through an executive order during his presidency because “it made no sense to expel talented, driven, patriotic young people from the only country they know solely because of the actions of their parents.” “To target these young people is wrong
– because they have done nothing wrong. It is self-defeating – because they want to start new businesses, staff our labs, serve in our military, and otherwise contribute to the country we love. And it is cruel,” he said. Deporting them back to countries they have no memory of and where they know nobody demonstrates the basic lack of human decency. National pride and interest dictate that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA initiative, should have been made permanent years ago. This year marks the
Our kids — the future leaders and defenders of America, should not be divided into first and second class citizens by repealing the Dream Act. fourth anniversary, and although the track work authorization remains vital when it record supports that conclusion, these dream- comes to helping DACA recipients particiers still languish for some permanence to pate more fully in the labor force. Eightytheir hopes and endeavors. All Dreamers are seven percent of respondents to the 2016 products of America, and most also have survey are currently employed, with an addisomeone in their family who’s an American tional 8 percent not working but in school. citizen-17 percent are married to a citizen, 26 percent have children who are citizens, and The current survey is one of the first to 59 percent have a sibling who’s American. systematically identify the industries in Surveys and studies confirm that the which DACA recipients are working, and the economic, educational, and employment ex- results show wide-ranging labor market conperiences and outcomes of DACA recipients tributions. The data indicate that 21 percent make clear that DACA has had a positive im- of respondents work in educational and pact, not just for recipients but also for the health services, 11 percent work in the nonprofit sector, 9 percent work in wholesale and American economy more generally. Through executive action, DACA pro- retail trades, and 8 percent work in profesvided temporary relief from deportation and sional and business services. The results ilwork authorization to eligible unauthorized lustrate that DACA recipients are immigrants who entered the country at a contributing across all sectors of the econyoung age. 800,000 unauthorized young peo- omy. ple have received DACA, improving the Furthermore, after receiving DACA, 63 lives of its recipients and their families. percent of respondents reported moving to a The data illustrate that DACA recipi- job with better pay; 49 percent moved to a ents are making significant contributions to job that “better fits my education and trainthe economy by buying cars and first homes, ing.” 48 percent moved to a job with better which translate into more revenue for states working conditions. These figures are largely and localities in the form of sales and prop- consistent with previous findings from the erty taxes. Some are even using their entre- 2015 survey and show that the temporary preneurial talents to help create new jobs and work authorization that comes with DACA further spur economic growth by starting has helped to unlock recipients’ economic their own businesses. potential. The positive wage effect of DACA is The 2016 survey also found that 6 peralso significant. The data show that DACA cent of respondents started their own busiincreased recipients’ average hourly wages ness after receiving DACA. This rate of by 42 percent. Given that higher wages trans- business starts is higher than that of both the late into higher tax revenue and economic American public as a whole—at 3.1 pergrowth, these findings reinforce the fact that cent—and the entire immigrant population— DACA benefits all Americans. Moreover, a at 3.6 percent. These businesses include tech full 95 percent of survey respondents are cur- startups, online craft stores, and tax prepararently employed or enrolled in school. Con- tion services, among others. One business sistent with the 2015 survey, the data indicate owner who employs nine people hopes to that many DACA recipients are getting better continue to grow and “hire [even] more peoand higher-paying jobs because of DACA. ple from the community.” Statistics don’t lie! Congress must act Many are pursuing educational opportunities that were previously unavailable to them. The accordingly, and make President’s signature majors, specializations, and training that initiative law! DACA recipients are pursuing include early Note: Albert Baldeo is a civil rights childhood education, biochemistry, computer activist and community advocate. As science, creative writing, graphic design, President of the Baldeo Foundation and neuroscience, nursing, social work, and urban Queens Justice Center, he has continued planning, among many others, which benefits to fight for equal rights, dignity and inclusion in the decision making process. our nation. The latest data indicate that having He can be contacted at the Baldeo Foun-