Global Relations 1 | Page 12

President Trump’s recent announcement on an immigrant friendly program, commonly known as DACA may alter the world’s view on America. DACA stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals which is an American immigration policy created by President Barack Obama in 2012. It defers the deportation of undocumented immigrants from the United States if they arrived in the country as children and meet certain qualifications. The United States is a central part of our modern world. Our actions surrounding controversial topics, such as immigration, form the world’s opinion of us. It has helped many people and our country as a whole. It has created a positive American image, and revoking it will change the world’s opinion of us. It’s hard to understand why Trump would want to change this law because of all the great things it has done.

Economic Growth

DACA has helped many people find better jobs, which also impacted our economy in a positive way. It has given employment authorization to those who qualify for a period of two years, and if they continued to be eligible, they could renew their employment authorizations. This helped those who were previously working for cash and very low wages obtain a job that were properly paid and had taxes withheld, in turn, holding them responsible to pay their share of taxes. Those who were struggling financially had the opportunity to live a stable life with secure jobs and wages. Many of those with the opportunity to work legally also were willing to buy homes and open small businesses in their communities. These individuals also contribute to the economy by their personal spending with things such as homes, cars, etc.

Educational Benefits

This reform has helped many students and young adults continue with their education. Forty-five percent of DACA recipients are currently enrolled in school. While in high school, they are granted the opportunity to apply for scholarships for college. Some dreamers are eligible for state or college and

financial aid. Many undocumented high school students tend to drop out, even those with high academic levels, because they

REFLECTION ON DACA

By. Giselle Hernandez