DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals)
DACA is the American immigrant policy set up by President Obama and his administration in June 2012 in the United States (Wood, 2017). It also applies to the process of judicial relief from deportation. For people who are currently studying or have graduated, it is available. Its primary goal is to defend qualifying young people who have come as minors to the United States of America (USA). DACA accomplishes this by giving work visas to refugees and a potential renewable duration of deferment from extradition for two to three years.
Requirements for DACA
According to Patler, Caitlin, and Jorge Cabrera (2015), the requirements or qualifications for DACA include:
- Individual being below age 31 years as by June 2012.
- The person came to the USA before the 16th birthday.
- The person has been continuously living in the USA from June 2007 to present date.
- An individual was present in the USA in June 2012 at the time of application (Wood, 2017).
- Additionally, an individual came to the USA in 2012 without the documents, is currently studying and has not been convicted of any felony.
Application Process for DACA
Wadhia and Shoba Sivaprasad (2015) elaborate that the application for DACA incorporates several processes that an individual encounters before successfully being considered a qualified member. Moreover, a person can renew its application within at least 150 days before the expiry of DACA and work permit. Since its implementation, DACA has improved the lives of more than 800,000 immigrants in the United States (Wood, 2017). These immigrants work hard, pay taxes, and engage in continuous improvement of their societies and communities. Additionally, they improve the economy of the United States since they get the opportunity to educate themselves and work. The current Trump's government is currently considering abolishing the effective DACA. When this happens, it would make over 800,000 immigrants jobless and risk deportation. This would not only be devastating for the residents and their communities, but it would tear their families apart. This would lead to the economic debacle for organizations and employers hence significantly reducing the NEG (National Economic Growth) of the country by about $460 billion for the next ten to twenty years (Wood, 2017). This has been opposed by many, especially the Democrats and part of the Republicans who find DACA useful.
Benefits of DACA
The study supports DACA policy in the country since it offers many benefits to the individuals and the entire United States of America. The key reasons for supporting DACA include:
- Provision of an opportunity for productivity for serving and improving the lives of members of given communities.
- Granting the beneficiaries the right to temporarily stay in the USA without fear of deportation. According to Wadhia and Shoba Sivaprasad (2015), DACA provides the right to work in the USA in the form of EAD (employment authorization document), better described as the work permit.
- DACA also offers an opportunity for applying for a social security card or number.
- In addition, granting an individual with the ability to obtain a driving license identification depending on the state.
- Through DACA, most people enjoy the potential to put the utility bills in their names, having the opportunity to construct their credit score, and involve in a successful application for a credit card.
- Additionally, DACA allows the members to qualify for a job with much more benefits such as health, house, and education allowances. Wadhia and Shoba Sivaprasad (2015) elaborate that the DACA program has assisted the youths with several opportunities for getting education and employment. This has significantly reduced the unemployment rate within the USA.
The Impact of DACA on the Economy
Since DACA implementation, the economy of the United States has improved despite current fear from Trump's decision to end the policy. But DACA has not done any harm to American society despite increasing competition in all sectors, which is significant for the success of the nation. However, ending the DACA policy is unprecedented unless the Congress passes a bill in the next five to seven months to sufficiently protect the DACA recipients (Wood, 2017). Due to the many privileges provided, DACA should not be abolished but rather given more support.
References
Patler, Caitlin, and Jorge Cabrera. "From Undocumented to DACAmented: Benefits and Limitations of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program, Three Years Following Its Announcement." (2015).
Wadhia, Shoba Sivaprasad. "The President and Deportation: DACA, DAPA, and the Sources and Limits of Executive Authority: Response to Hiroshi Motomura." Washburn LJ 55 (2015): 189.
Wood, Robert H. "The Crushing of a Dream: DACA, DAPA and the Politics of Immigration Law Under President Obama." Barry Law Review 22.1 (2017): 2.
