Today, the United States Supreme Court blocked the Federal Administration's attempt to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a program that protects hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the United States as children from deportation and allows them to continue working.
The 5-4 ruling was written by Chief Justice John Roberts and joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor.
Carmen CastilloThe USHCC applauds and celebrates this historic decision.
For more than 40 years, the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has been a catalyst in serving as a resource and advocate for the Hispanic business community. Because of this longstanding legacy, we understand the importance of a strong immigration system and what immigrants represent as part of our society and economy.
Since 2012, the United States began a pathway that allowed more than 700,000 law-abiding young people to begin the process of normalizing their immigration status through the DACA Program. DACA has protected “Dreamers” since 2012.
The lives and social stability of Dreamers should never be politicized or used as a bargaining chip. The DACA program does not currently provide a pathway to citizenship.
Ramiro A. CavazosEach year, more than 65,000 Dreamers are graduating from high school and 10,000 from college, and contributing to the American economy. DACA-eligible immigrants are paying approximately $2 billion each year in state and local taxes. Deporting Dreamers would cost the federal government an estimated $60 billion, along with an additional $280 billion reduction in economic growth over the next decade. On the other hand, DACA immigrants cost the American tax payers nothing; these immigrants are ineligible for any types of welfare benefits or government subsidies/programs.
Currently, 91% of all DACA recipients are employed, in school, or serving in the U.S. military. Many Dreamers are entrepreneurs and many of them are also frontline workers providing essential services during this global pandemic.
One out every ten jobs in America is a job created by an immigrant-owned business. Today, 43% of all Fortune 500 companies is a business founded by an immigrant or the son or daughter of an immigrant.
The USHCC will continue to work with individuals, on both sides of the aisle, who understand that immigration reform is an economic imperative.
It is now up to Congress to unite and pass meaningful legislation that will create a pathway to U.S. citizenship for Dreamers.
Editor's Note: The main image accompanying the above guest column shows a picture of DACA students, otherwise known as Dreamers. (Photo: David Swanson/Zuma)
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