CONTRIBUTORS

DACA, New Jersey and the continuation of the American Dream

Nellie Pou
Immigrants and allies attend rally in Morristown on Aug. 15 on the five-year anniversary of DACA.

When President Donald Trump acted to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program –  the federal program that has succeeded in protecting young immigrants who came to the United States as children from being summarily deported – he sent a traumatizing message to a large segment of Americans who are contributing members of society.  Abolishing DACA is nothing less than an assault on the American Dream and a repudiation of the values and principles that are central to our country’s history. The president’s actions were an extremely disturbing manifestation of the xenophobic and anti-immigrant rhetoric that Trump and others have employed to polarize the electorate.

Since then, the president has signaled more of a willingness to treat DACA participants humanely and to work with Congress on a plan that would allow them to remain in the only country they have known. While I am supportive of these efforts and want to be hopeful that they will succeed, the president’s history on this issue, his inconsistent positions and erratic behavior are reasons for concern. The threat has not gone away. The fate of more than 800,000 Americans and 22,000 New Jerseyans who are part of the DACA program is on the line as this controversy continues.

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As one of the most diverse states in the nation, New Jersey understands the importance of welcoming Dreamers to our state and our country and the value of their contributions; foreign-born residents make up 21 percent of the state’s population.

We need to understand the context of this debate and how DACA has succeeded. President Barack Obama created DACA through executive order in 2012 because Congress continually failed to implement more comprehensive immigration reform.  The program allows children who were brought to the United States illegally at no fault of their own to remain in the country. As DACA participants, the applicants cannot have serious criminal histories and need to have arrived in the U.S. before 2007 and be under the age of 16. They must live and work legally in the United States and qualify for a renewable two-year periods.

The DACA program has been a resounding success with more than 90 percent of the participants in school or in the workforce nationwide. These Dreamers all grew up in our great country, registered with our government and submitted to extensive background checks.

"Dreamers" rally in New York City on  Sept. 5.

By ending DACA, New Jersey would undoubtedly feel the impact in our economy. Without a pragmatic immigration reform approach in Washington, New Jersey will lose those contributions made by DACA recipients financially, as well as those who are students and faculty members at our institutions of higher education throughout the state.

According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, on a national level our economy would lose $460 billion from our national GDP and $25 billion in Social Security and Medicare tax contributions if these Dreamers were to have their dreams cut off.

In New Jersey, they bring in $66 million annually to our state, according to New Jersey Policy Perspective. Dreamers are on the payrolls of our hospitals, law firms, universities, hotels, restaurants, nursing homes and just about any other industry in New Jersey.

The negative effect on the economy is important, but it does not compare to the profound impact that ending DACA will have on the lives of young people, their families and their communities. The decision to end the program will result in turning the lives of enterprising immigrant youth upside down, stealing their economic futures and putting them in desperate fear of being separated from their families and communities. Putting an end to DACA would be divisive, counter-productive and mean spirited.

Nellie Pou

So far, 15 states have announced that they will sue the president on his decision to end DACA.  Washington State will lead this multi-state lawsuit against the Trump administration. I support these efforts and I wrote to the state attorney general asking that New Jersey joins in the lawsuit. If the Christie administration refuses to support the effort, I hope and expect the next administration to take up the challenge. New Jersey needs fair solutions at this time, and by alienating and penalizing individuals who are contributing members in our communities, as a way to gain political points is simply un-American.

Dreamers are vital and valued members of our community. As a legislator I will do everything I can to support them. Our moral duty as public servants to protect Dreamers should be clear, but it is also undeniable that the strength of our country – and our state – is only enhanced by the DACA program continuing.

Nellie Pou, D-North Haledon, represents the 35th Legislative District in the state Senate.