DACA and Immigration Reform: The Quest for a Lasting Solution

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A new agenda item, Replace the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), was added to Congress’ to-do list on Tuesday, September 5th. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Trump administration will stop considering applications for legal status dated after September 5th, 2017. Any DACA recipients with a permit expiring before March 5th, 2018, must apply for a two-year renewal by October 5th.

(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is an executive order implemented by President Barack Obama in June 2012 to allow undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children to remain in the country and grant them temporary rights to legally live, study, and work. When President Trump announced his decision to rescind the DACA program, he gave Congress a six-month timeline to either save the program or introduce a replacement that addresses DACA and broader immigration issues.

DACA supporters say the government is turning its back on immigrants who have spent their whole lives in the United States and make important contributions to the economy. Critics say DACA recipients have taken jobs away from American citizens and that the program unfairly protects people who have broken the law by entering the country illegally. Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress say they want to solve the problem, leaving hope for a bipartisan agreement.

Congress has attempted comprehensive immigration reform in the past with limited progress to show for it. In 2001, Republican Senator Orrin Hatch introduced the DREAM Act bill. The current version of the bill essentially calls for a constitutional pathway to legal status for “Dreamers” who meet a range of educational and other requirements. DACA is just one example of the United States’ struggle to establish a fair and just immigration policies, , an absolute necessity for the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants present in the United States.

Join Forum on International Affairs (FIA) as we discuss the Trump's administration immigration priorities and policies alongside DACA, the “DREAM” Act, and how immigration reform ties into U.S. foreign policy objectives.

Questions to Consider

· Why do we need Immigration Reform? Is it even necessary?

· How will ending DACA impact the US economy?

· What would ending DACA do for immigration reform in general?

· What is the way ahead for the US immigration reform?

· What is US public opinion on the major immigration legislation and initiatives?

· How is it perceived abroad?

Recommended Readings

· Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) -
https://www.uscis.gov/archive/consideration-deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca

· Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals 2017 Announcement - https://www.uscis.gov/daca2017

· All Eyes Turn to Congress, Following Trump Decision to Terminate DACA Program - http://www.migrationpolicy.org/news/all-eyes-turn-congress-following-trump-decision-terminate-daca-program

· 5 Questions About DACA Answered - http://www.npr.org/2017/09/05/548754723/5-things-you-should-know-about-daca

· US immigration: DACA and Dreamers explained - http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/04/politics/daca-dreamers-immigration-program/index.html

· Democrats pushing for vote on Dream Act as White House backs off demands to link it to border wall funding - http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-dreamers-borderwall-20170912-story.html

· Editorial: Here's a solution to the DACA crisis: Pass a Dream Act. And soon - http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-trump-daca-dream-act-congress-20170907-story.html

· Comparing Trump and Obama’s Deportation Priorities - https://bipartisanpolicy.org/blog/comparing-trump-and-obamas-deportation-priorities/

· Trump's Budget Reveals Immigration Priorities - https://www.voanews.com/a/donald-trump-budget-immigration-priorities/3769548.html

· Immigration reform for a more prosperous America - http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/aug/16/immigration-reform-will-lead-to-more-prosperous-am/

· The High Cost of Ending DACA – https://www.usnews.com/opinion/economic-intelligence/articles/2017-09-29/why-ending-daca-and-deporting-dreamers-makes-no-economic-sense

· Trump’s immigration talks with Democrats attract cautious support - https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/trumps-dealing-on-daca-sparks-confusion-shifting-alliances-on-capitol-hill/2017/09/14/c9b2c904-994c-11e7-82e4-f1076f6d6152_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_dacahill1125a:homepage/story&utm_term=.231da2539ad2&wpisrc=al_alert-politics&wpmk=1

· Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA): Frequently Asked Questions - https://fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/R44764.pdf

· The End of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program: Some Immediate Takeaways - https://fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/daca-end.pdf