DACA makes America better
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, and its highly controversial nature and history, has inspired me to view the requirements of DACA with an eye on established American citizens, the offspring of the immigrants of the past who are deeply rooted Americans and have been for generations — myself included.
DACA’s requirements help ensure that participants are valuable immigrants, a highly motivated population intent on education. Motivated and educated citizens propel countries toward economic stability. The generational value of DACA participants could be realized in any country. Education improves society; we can see this acknowledged in statements. “I expect that the extraordinary young people at Princeton University and other institutions of higher education who have benefited from the DACA program will be leaders in building the innovation economy that your administration has championed,” said Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber. The positive praise of educators echoes from coast to coast. The societal impact of education and influx of federal dollars used for DACA is an investment in our future.
Arguments against DACA include misinformation that acts to redirect attention. The association of crime and immigrants is simply not factual. According to FactCheck.org, “There is no evidence that DACA recipients are more likely to commit crimes than any group, citizen or not.” Since DACA holders are required to complete a GED or high school diploma, they are less likely to commit crimes and more likely to take advantage of federally funded grants that aim to bolster America’s social structure by way of education. Grant dollars require grade average maintenance.
Viewed in unison, DACA and the Pell Grant provide opportunity for the motivated immigrant to surpass and exceed the American citizen educationally precisely because of these requirements.
Consider this imagined scenario: What if New Mexico’s citizen high school students were held to the DACA educational requirements? In 2014-15, New Mexico had roughly a 68 percent graduation rate. If those who did not graduate were held to DACA standards, 32 percent of our high school students would have to leave the country. The motivational consequence might have a positive effect. If we were to apply a rough national figure to this imagined scenario, we would forever banish 17 percent of American citizen high school dropouts from coming back home. The repercussions of banishment of these children would likely take a higher priority than we see with DACA recipients.
When we focus our gaze on others, we fail to see ourselves. Globally, expectation that a potential citizen meets standards is not unique; many countries employ similar mechanisms to maintain strength of state. Living in a society with infrastructure, law, human rights and social services is starkly contrasted by places where none exist and crimes against humanity are common.
The frame of a society cannot withstand an ungoverned influx of immigrants, yet DACA has always operated within limitations. What DACA has done is improve the lives of immigrants. This is the promise of America and it is manifest in Donald Trump, the spawn of immigrants of the 1880s, at least on his father’s side — highly successful by economic standards. The fact that Trump is years removed from his immigrant reality is relevant.
The potency of DACA lies in its ability to strengthen America, one new citizen at a time.
Charlotte Conger is a resident of Santa Fe and a Santa Fe Community College student.