Time Pressure Mounts as Dreamers Anticipate Action

Time Pressure Mounts as Dreamers Anticipate Action

In a recent appeal, President Donald Trump urged Congress to find a legislative fix for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients. This group, numbering nearly 800,000 people, were granted temporary legal status by President Barack Obama in 2012.

The potential economic consequences of deporting DACA recipients are severe. According to various studies, such a move would cost the federal government more than $60 billion and result in an estimated $280 billion in lost economic growth over a decade.

One of the key impacts is the reduction in tax contributions. DACA recipients collectively pay billions in federal, state, and local taxes yearly. In Colorado alone, they contribute over $25 million. Deportation would substantially reduce these tax revenues.

Removing DACA recipients would also cost states like Colorado more than $857 million in annual GDP, demonstrating their vital role in state economies. On a national scale, this would amount to a significant loss in economic output.

More than 340,000 DACA recipients work in essential sectors such as agriculture, education, and healthcare. Their removal would disrupt these industries and reduce overall workforce productivity.

The cost of deporting all DACA recipients could reach up to $21 billion for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). This significant figure underscores the increased enforcement costs associated with such a move.

Beyond the immediate economic impacts, there would be broader social and economic ripple effects. Deportation could exacerbate health and social service challenges for immigrant families, leading to negative community-wide effects due to immigrants’ roles in the labor market.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, an influential business organisation, has been vocal about the contributions of DACA recipients. They have banners outside their doors that read "America. Built by Dreamers," featuring famous immigrants like Albert Einstein and Estee Lauder. The Chamber believes that smart, skilled individuals who create their own companies or go to work for companies create more jobs and contribute to economic growth.

One such Dreamer is Javier Velazquez, an entrepreneur in Georgia who employs six Americans through his digital marketing business, Uproot Online. If Congress does not pass a permanent solution, Velazquez's business would be undercut, and he would no longer be able to continue operating efficiently or paying business taxes. His business contributes to the U.S. economy by helping over 100 small businesses in the U.S. and Canada grow their digital footprint.

The contributions of Dreamers to the country are not limited to the business sector. A Dreamer at IBM worked around-the-clock shifts out of his mother's home in Houston after Hurricane Harvey, ensuring IBM's cloud support operations remained functional.

The vast majority of the public favour granting Dreamers work permits, according to a Fox News poll. This public sentiment underscores the urgent need for Congress to address the Dreamer crisis. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce implores Congress to act before DACA recipients are forced out of their jobs, schools, and communities.

As the issue of immigration remains topical, it is crucial to consider the economic impact of DACA recipients. The research and policy analyses point towards profound costs if DACA recipients are deported, including reduced tax bases, disrupted labor sectors, and significantly lower GDP growth. These findings underpin calls for legislative solutions like the bipartisan DREAM Act to allow these young people to remain in the U.S. and continue contributing economically.

[1] Migration Policy Institute. (2017). The Economic Contributions of DACA Recipients. [2] National Immigration Forum. (2017). The Economic Impact of Ending DACA. [3] National Foundation for American Policy. (2017). State-by-State Estimates of the Economic Impact of Ending DACA. [4] National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2016). The Economic and Fiscal Consequences of Immigration.

1. The economic consequences of deporting DACA recipients could cost the federal government over $60 billion and result in $280 billion in lost economic growth over a decade.
2. In the United States, smart, skilled individuals like DACA recipients contribute to economic growth by creating jobs and helping businesses expand, as demonstrated by Javier Velazquez, an entrepreneur in Georgia.
3. Deportation would not only impact the business sector but also exacerbate health and social service challenges for immigrant families, causing negative community-wide effects due to their roles in the labor market.
4. The cost of deporting all DACA recipients could reach up to $21 billion for ICE, highlighting the increased enforcement costs associated with such a move.
5. According to various studies, removal of DACA recipients would cost states like Colorado more than $857 million in annual GDP, illustrating their vital role in state economies.
6. Removing DACA recipients from essential sectors such as agriculture, education, and healthcare would disrupt these industries and reduce overall workforce productivity.
7. Public sentiment overwhelmingly favors granting Dreamers work permits. As such, there is an urgent need for Congress to address the Dreamer crisis and consider the profound economic costs associated with deportation, as indicated by numerous policy analyses and research reports.

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