As you've surely heard, Donald Trump just moved to end DACA with a six-month delay. What effect will this have on our country? What does this mean for the people of America? What even is DACA?
DACA, or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, is an immigration policy founded in June of 2012 by the Obama administration. It allows the children of undocumented immigrants in the United States to have a two-year deferred period and a work permit. This protects them from deportation and allows them to work in America, letting them support themselves and their families.
What does this mean? By taking this away, Donald Trump is endangering the lives of 800,000 people and their families, guaranteed. But wait, there's more! By deporting them, The US GDP will drop by a whopping $460.3 billion dollars over the next 10 years. 72% of the top 25 Fortune 500 companies employ DACA recipients, accounting for $2.8 trillion in annual revenue. 97% of DACA recipients are currently in school or working. They contribute to our economy. They buy cars and houses and raise their own children.
These people should not be punished for a decision their parents made for them when they were children, a decision that rides parallel to the very basis of humanity: survival. Envisioning a safer, healthier, and more stable future for their kids, their parents moved entire families to America: land of the free, home of the brave. They uprooted everything, losing all that was familiar to them, and riding only on a train of hope. One generation after these struggles, who are you to strip them of their American identity?
Donald Trump is tossing these people away as if they're garbage. He sees them as disposable, not human beings. These are American people, not just immigrants, and it's about time we saw them that way. This is their home, too.
Every immigrant's life is valuable. Every immigrant is a human. No, they are NOT taking jobs or resources away from non-immigrants. Recipients do not qualify for federal aid, yet they pay taxes and add to Social Security without ever being able to benefit from it. They are contributing to our economy, and they are taking care of our country. A Houston paramedic named Jesus Contreras worked for six days straight to save the lives of others during Hurricane Harvey, and now he may be deported. Your favorite beauty blogger, Daisy Marquez, is a DACA recipient. Your neighbors and friends, your doctors and lawyers, your favorite friendly face to see at the grocery store...their lives are at stake.
We are all immigrants. Unless you are 100% Native American, your family too once lost everything and risked it all in the hope of a better future for you. Without the diversity of immigrants, we will lose what makes our country great. America was created by Americans, for Americans, and the government picking-and-choosing who they deem "American" is, in itself, un-American. Let these people be a part of the American dream; they deserve it.
Since Trump has repealed DACA, 800,000 people and their families will lose the resources they rely on every day to survive. Billions of dollars from our economy will be thrown away. He has completely squashed the hopes and dreams of intelligent, hardworking people that have put years and years of effort into turning their lives around. They are entitled to the right to make their hopes and dreams come true, no less than every other American in this country. This is the land of the free, home of the brave; let's make sure it stays that way. Otherwise, your backward American pride will bring this country down in flames.
Call your representatives. Text "RESIST" to 50409. Get to work; we have a job to do.
