John,

Today marks the 12th anniversary of when Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was announced. For more than a decade, it has afforded many Dreamers protection from deportation and the opportunity to work legally in the United States. But for those 12 years, DACA recipients and other Dreamers who were brought to the U.S. as children have continued to face obstacles to obtaining the certainty they deserve, even as they have tirelessly built lives in the country they call home.

Dreamers like Miguel — placed on temporary unpaid leave for more than three months now — have been forced to put their lives on hold because backlogs at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have delayed the processing of their DACA renewals. As he waits to receive renewed work authorization, Miguel lives in a state of anxiety, unable to work or plan his future. With federal courts potentially striking down DACA itself in coming months, even the fate of DACA recipients who currently have up-to-date work authorization is tenuous.

In a critical election year with a challenging political climate for supporters of immigrants and immigration, the future of Dreamers is in the balance. The need for Congress to step in and pass a permanent legislative solution for DACA recipients and other Dreamers is urgent.

Join us for our Week of Action and add your name to call for congressional action now.

DACA not only has enriched the lives of Dreamers and the communities to which they belong, it also has been an engine for U.S. economic growth. DACA recipients make up a critical component of America’s workforce. Stripping them of their work authorization and deporting them would have not only a devasting impact on Dreamers, their families, and their communities, but also catastrophic effects on the American economy.

If Congress fails to act and the courts (or a future presidential administration) end DACA, the U.S. economy could suffer a $1 billion loss every month for the following two years.

Congress must pass permanent legislative solutions to protect Dreamers and ensure that important workers like Miguel do not lose their jobs. This week, the 12th anniversary of DACA’s announcement, only reinforces that the time is now to protect Dreamers.

Tell your members of Congress to pass a legislative solution now.

Thank you for your ongoing support,

Jennie Murray
President & CEO
National Immigration Forum