Countdown in Progress: Dreamers Awaiting Decision
In a significant move, President Donald Trump has asked Congress to find a legislative solution for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients before the program ends, as uncertainty looms over the future of nearly 800,000 individuals who are part of the DACA program.
However, the urgency in Congress to find a solution seems to have vanished, with no permanent legislative solution having been passed as of August 2025. The House of Representatives has passed the American Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 6), which would provide a long-term legislative fix for Dreamers, including DACA recipients, but the Senate has yet to act on this or the bipartisan Dream Act of 2019 (S. 874) reintroduced earlier by Senators Lindsey Graham and Dick Durbin.
The stalemate in Congress has potential economic consequences, including the loss of work authorization for many DACA recipients, reduced economic productivity, and increased legal and social instability. For instance, people with DACA status have lost eligibility for health insurance through Covered California, increasing their economic vulnerability and reducing access to healthcare.
The contributions of DACA recipients to the U.S. economy are undeniable. Companies like IBM employ Dreamers in various roles such as software development, sales, and technical support. One Dreamer at IBM worked around-the-clock shifts out of his mother's home in Houston after Hurricane Harvey to keep the company's cloud support operations running. If his company were to disappear due to a lack of a permanent solution, one job would be gone, and six other Americans' jobs would be gone as well.
Entrepreneurs like Javier Velazquez, a Dreamer in Georgia, employ six Americans and help more than 100 small businesses in the U.S. and Canada grow their digital footprint. If Congress does not pass a permanent solution, a population nearly the size of Pittsburgh could leave the workforce.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a powerful business lobby, has been vocal about the need for a permanent solution for DACA recipients. The Chamber has banners outside its front doors reading, "America. Built by Dreamers," featuring famous immigrants like Albert Einstein and Estee Lauder, as well as Dreamer immigrants in the U.S. today. The Chamber urges Congress to address the DACA crisis before Dreamers are forced out of their jobs, schools, and communities.
A vast majority of the public supports granting work permits to DACA recipients, according to a Fox News poll. As the end of the DACA program is scheduled to take effect next March, the spotlight is on Congress to find a permanent solution to ensure the continued contributions of Dreamers to the U.S. economy and society.
Sean Hackbarth, a journalist from Wisconsin and a Green Bay Packers fan, writes about public policies affecting businesses, including immigration. His recent work focuses on the contributions of Dreamers to the economy and the urgency for Congress to address the DACA crisis.
- The urgent need for a legislative solution for DACA recipients, facing an uncertain future, remains unresolved in Congress, leaving nearly 800,000 individuals vulnerable.
- The House of Representatives has passed the American Dream and Promise Act, a potential long-term legislative fix for Dreamers, but the Senate has yet to act on it.
- The stalemate in Congress could lead to economic consequences, including reduced economic productivity, increased legal and social instability, and the potential loss of jobs for Americans.
- DACA recipients, including those employed by companies like IBM, contribute significantly to the U.S. economy, as demonstrated by their roles in sectors like software development and technical support.
- Entrepreneurs such as Javier Velazquez, a Dreamer in Georgia, employ Americans and help grow the digital footprint of small businesses across the U.S. and Canada.
- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, an influential business lobby, advocates for a permanent solution for DACA recipients, opening its doors to banners featuring famous immigrants like Albert Einstein and Estee Lauder, along with current Dreamer immigrants.
- Public opinion largely supports granting work permits to DACA recipients, as highlighted in a Fox News poll, with the spotlight now on Congress to find a permanent solution to ensure continued economic and societal contributions from Dreamers.
