| Your weekly summary from the Council. |
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As a DACA recipient who can renew every two years, I can't help but think of the many individuals with pending first-time applications. DACA is a double-edged sword. It opened many doors, enabling me to pursue higher education, apply for a driver's license, and gain legal employment. Yet, it also serves as a constant reminder that there is no pathway to citizenship for people like me, and our temporary protection from deportation can be revoked at any moment. |
In the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, rebuilding efforts in Florida will require significant people power. Immigrants will be critical to those efforts.
Over 38% of all construction workers in Florida are immigrants. The roofing industry in particular relies heavily on immigrants – nearly 70% of all roofers in the state are immigrants.
This data interactive from the American Immigration Council breaks down immigrants’ impact in Florida, including information on the workforce, demographics, and the undocumented population.
Read more: Immigrants in Florida |
The hurricanes have also brought about misinformation on how aid is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Authority (FEMA). The Shelter and Services Program, which is administered by FEMA, has drawn particular attention for its role in providing funding to state and local governments for their work in supporting new immigrants.
Since its creation in 2019, the program has received bipartisan support from members of Congress and from local leaders who have called on the federal government to provide more financial assistance to communities both at the border and around the country that receive new immigrants.
This new fact sheet from the Council explains how the Shelter and Services Program works, aiming to debunk the misinformation currently surround the program.
Learn more: FEMA’s Role in Migrant Assistance: Exploring the Shelter and Services Program |
On Thursday, the 5th Circuit Court in New Orleans, Louisiana heard a case that could decide the fate of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative, which protects over 530,000 people from deportation.
In addition to those who currently benefit from DACA, 1,127,100 people are eligible for DACA protections.
DACA, which protects those who were brought to the United States as children and who are undocumented, has been facing attempts to dismantle it through litigation and executive action since 2017.
Read more: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA): An Overview |
“Mass deportations are not a realistic economic strategy. They would leave us all worse off, facing a collapsing construction industry, rising food prices and destabilizing labor shortages across the supply chain.” |
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