Business leaders urge Trump to leave DACA in place

More than 100 leading U.S. companies are urging President Donald Trump to leave the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) in place.

Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration’s 2017 attempt to end DACA was unlawful, but left the door open for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to alter or eliminate the program by following different administrative procedures. In a letter to Trump, the Coalition for the American Dream, a group of 140 employers and trade associations, said getting rid of DACA would further weaken the American economy.

“This is no time to disrupt the economic recovery of our companies and communities, nor time to jeopardize the health and safety of these vulnerable individuals,” the letter says. “We ask that you leave DACA in place and refrain from taking any additional administrative actions that would negatively impact the DACA program.”

The coalition is advocating for a bipartisan permanent legislative solution for DACA recipients, often called Dreamers. DACA provides protection from deportation for some 800,000 individuals who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children. DACA only protects recipients from deportation and allows them to legally work in the U.S. It does not provide legal status for them.

“DACA recipients have been critical members of our workforce, industries, and communities for years now, and they have abided by the laws and regulations of our country in order to maintain their DACA status,” the letter says. “Their work and commitment to our companies, their families and communities are critical to our nation’s strength, especially since there are tens of thousands of DACA recipients working as front line doctors and nurses and in other critical industries fighting COVID19.”

The letter also cites strong support for DACA from most Americans. A recent Pew Research poll shows about three-quarters of U.S. adults say they favor granting permanent legal status to DACA recipients.

BAL Analysis: The future of DACA remains unknown, and the Trump administration has made conflicting remarks about the program in the days after the Supreme Court ruled against the administration’s initial attempt to end it. DHS also has not made any announcements regarding initial applications for DACA. BAL is closely monitoring the administration’s response to the ruling and will provide updates and analysis as more information becomes available. For more information, please visit BAL’s DACA Resource Center.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

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