Young immigrants in the US and the DACA program

Throughout the US history, there has always been a gigantic debate within different branches of the government regarding immigrants who were brought to the country without legal documentation when they were minors, who are commonly known as Dreamers.

There are members of the government who support the idea of offering a path to legal residence to these young immigrants who came to the US as children, but, at the same time, there are members of the government who state that offering legal alternatives to undocumented immigrants, regardless of whether they are minors or adults, would only encourage mass irregular migration.

Due to the controversy, the branches of Congress (the US House of Representatives and the Senate) have not been able to reach an agreement or pass a bill that allows Dreamers to remain permanently in the country. However, there are administrations that have tried to create programs to benefit young immigrants, who, by the way, are an essential part of the economic system, the social fabric and the local workforce.

For instance, in 2012, in an attempt to protect Dreamers, the Obama administration implemented the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program, which offers protection from deportation for two years with the possibility of extension. Under this benefit, eligible Dreamers can also apply for employment authorization and access multiple social services.

DACA recipients under the Trump administration

DACA recipients faced multiple legal processes between 2017 and 2021 under the Trump administration, which tried to eradicate this program from benefits offered to immigrant communities in the US.

Former President Trump argued that Dreamers did not deserve the opportunity to stay in the country because they violated local immigration law by crossing the borders without prior authorization, even though they were minors and it was most likely not their decision.

Dreamers still don’t feel completely safe

Now that the country has a new administration, led by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, DACA recipients and Dreamers in general hope to have permanent solutions, taking into account that they are an essential part of the US’ economic fabric.

However, the reality is that they are still in limbo and fear deportation, especially because:

1. The DACA case is still under court review

Before Biden took office, the DACA program already had a pending hearing in a Texas court in December 2020, where the judge in charge of the case had to decide whether the program itself meets the eligibility requirements to be an immigration benefit or if it violates certain legal guidelines.

This case is still pending resolution as the Texas judge recently postponed the verdict to give plaintiffs and defendants an opportunity to present more evidence and documentation.

2. The Senate has yet to pass immigration bills

The US House of Representatives recently passed two immigration bills, one of which would offer permanent residence to eligible Dreamers. However, the Senate must approve it as well for it to become law.

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