DACA Argumentative Essay

With recent events and governmental shut down, the DACA program is something constantly coming up in conversations today. Moreover, President Trumps decision to end the safety of those who are applicants of DACA. This recent change does not only effect people enrolled, but everyone in The United States. I strongly argue, the DACA program remains in place for the sake of young “dreamers” lives, and Americas economy.
DACA stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival, was implemented by President Obama in 2012, to grant temporary legal status to undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children, as long as they are enrolled in school or working (Minier, Jenny). Furthermore, according to the New York Times The status is renewable,

lasting two years at a time. The program does not provide a pathway to citizenship. The program also opened up access to in-state tuition and state-funded grants and loans in some states. And depending on where they live, recipients can also qualify for state-subsidized health care. Those who are a part of the DACA program sometimes will be referred to as “Dreamers”. This is after a similar piece of legislation called the Dream Act, which was introduced in 2001 and would have given its beneficiaries a path to American citizenship (Robbins & Dickerson). According to NPR, there is roughly 800,000 people, that are now fall between the ages of 16 and 35; the vast majority came from Mexico, though many others were born in Central and South America, Asia and the Caribbean that all fall under the protection of DACA.
Thus, with so many applicants of the program its bringing young workers who help offset the retirement of the baby boomers; increasing the flexibility and productivity of our workforce; and increasing the number of workers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields that create jobs and increase American productivity (Minier, Jenny). According to Jenny Minier in her article Immigrants Benefit the Community and Economy “In 2016, all six American Nobel Prize laureates in economics and sciences were immigrants; immigrants are heavily over- represented in American Nobel laureates in chemistry, medicine, and physics, receiving 40% of American Nobel prizes (31 of 78 prizes) while making up only 13.5% of the population (per Census American Community Survey).” The Migration Policy Institute found that 48% of immigrants to the U.S. over the age of 25 during the period 2011-2015 were college graduates, a significant increase from the 27% college graduation rate of immigrants arriving 1985-90. Comparing this to a 2015 college graduation rate among U.S.-born of 31% (Minier, Jenny).
Moreover, when it comes to job availability opportunities National Foundation for American Policy study found that over half of the 87 technology startups valued at over $1 billion were co-founded by immigrants, and on average, these companies had created 760 new jobs (Mininer, Jenny). Thus, the health care field is another big industry that will be effected, 25% of physicians were born outside of the United States Most of these physicians benefit United States civilians because many accept jobs that there are not American-born doctors wanting these jobs. Usually these types of jobs include primary care and general practice in rural areas of the country (Mininer, Jenny).
With these jobs comes paying taxes.

Many supports of getting rid of DACA believe that immigrants are not paying taxes properly. However, Minier goes on to explain that immirgrants who come to the United States to study or work, even just temporarily, pay taxes. Even when not being eligible to access all government benefits (Mininer, Jenny). Recent economics paper estimates that refugee pays $21,000 more in taxes than they receive in these benefits, just within their first 20 years in the United States. Recent immigrants are more mobile and willing to move to areas with more job openings. According to Mininer, immigrants are known to work in jobs that Americans are unwilling to take at current wages. This type of flexibility of immigrant workers help sustain the productivity of the American economy. Hence, having a strong economy would benefit us in that it helps Americans workers to be competitive in all fields, and to be flexible in adapting to future economic changes, combined with retaining opportunities for current workers.
I strongly argue, the DACA program remains in place for the sake of young “dreamers” lives, and Americas economy. Putting broad restrictions on immigrations are not an effective way of addressing issues within America. A “Dreamer” who has grownup, that may be currently enrolled in college here is a great asset to our country, should not be a priority for deportation. Immigrants enhances the American economy and must allow them to continue to do so, for our economy cannot afford to decline any

less.

References:
Minier, Jenny, "Immigrants Benefit the Community and Economy" (2017). Center for Equality and Social Justice Position Papers. 1.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cesj_reports/1

Robbins, Liz, and Caitlin Dickerson. “What Does the Latest Court Ruling on DACA Mean? Here Are Some Answers.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 Jan. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/01/23/us/daca-dreamers-shutdown.html.

Romo, Vanessa, et al. “Trump Ends DACA, Calls On Congress To Act.” NPR, NPR, 5 Sept. 2017, www.npr.org/2017/09/05/546423550/trump-signals-end-to-daca-calls-on-congress-to-act.