DACA; And the 800,000 people affected

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Micaela Rodriguez, Freelance Writer

After Jeff Sessions first announced the ending of DACA, there has been protests and controversy over the removal of the DACA program. Trump added fuel to the fire when he tweeted out that DACA recipients “denied jobs to hundreds of thousands of Americans by allowing those same illegal aliens to take those jobs.” Before any thought crosses your mind, let’s fully understand what is expected of DACA recipients.

 DACA stands for the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals. The program was created in June of 2012 under the Obama Administration. The program was designed to protect the children who came into this country illegally. However, not all illegal children in the United States are eligible to be protected by DACA. The recipients of DACA must have been younger than 16 when entering the country, younger than 31 as of June 15 2012, and had to live in the United States continuously for five years since June 15, 2007 to June 15, 2012. They also had to came into the country without documents before June 15, 2012, and they must be earning or have earned a high school diploma or have been honorably discharged from the military or the Coast Guard. Finally, DACA recipients must have never committed a felony in the United states or have a misdemeanor on their record.

 Aside from the requirements, DACA recipients are not American citizens. They must pay income tax, like any other citizen, but they are closer to illegal immigrants than to American citizens. If DACA recipients or Dreamers as they are sometimes referred to, get deported the United States will face a 60-100 billion dollar loss to their economy. A 24.6 billion dollar loss in Medicare and Social Security and a 406.3 billion dollar lose in our national GDP as well.

 Donald Trump gave Congress six months to decide the fate for 800,000 DACA recipients. Dreamers are now left confused and worried about the possible change in their legal status. Many of them are scared at that the government will use their information they gave to become a DACA recipient against them, and they have a point. Immigrant Services which helps manage DACA said that if any information is needed by ICE, they will deliver that information.

 What the Dreamers are experiencing is extremely difficult. Not knowing whether or not you are able to stay in the country you grew up in for the vast majority of your life is devastating and emotionally challenging. Like the Dreamers, we all must wait and see the results of this situation.