You want to work; they want to work; we all want to work! If you live in Los Angeles County, chances are that you have a neighbor, colleague or friend that wakes up every morning with the fear of deportation. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is an immigration policy that impacts our city because it allows undocumented young adults to live here and develop their skill set by means of a work permit, social security number and deferred deportation.

The Kaiser Family Foundation reports there are approximately 580,000 DACA recipients residing in the United States in 2022. In the L.A metropolitan area there are 89,900 active DACA recipients according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 

DACA addresses the grand challenge of reducing extreme economic inequality in L.A. County and stimulates economic growth as it provides the opportunity for these Angelenos to go to school, expand their skill set and apply it in the workforce. Without DACA recipients, the U.S. will lose 343,000 skilled workers who are deemed essential to our economy and lose $6.2 billion in federal taxes and $3.3 billion in state and local taxes each year.

These young adults are not here to steal your jobs; they are here to build a life just like you and I. Sadly, there are entities who would love to see DACA die. Texas, for example, has declared DACA unlawful per the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and it has put DACA at a halt from moving forward to permanent law while temporarily blocking new enrollees according to the American Progress.

There have been attempts by previous presidents like Donald Trump to terminate DACA in 2017, with no success under the Supreme Court. However, there is always a possibility that if our next elected president in 2024 is a radical Republican, they may attempt to terminate it a second time — potentially ending a dream for thousands and an overall financial loss of billions of dollars. 

Our letter to the editor is directed toward our fellow citizens and policymakers in government. As social work students, it is our mission to improve and address social issues that impact the lives of many. We do this by encouraging citizens to learn and understand the importance of DACA and the benefits of voting for immigration reform. 

As citizens, we have a voice in which policies get passed and which do not. As the Centre for Public Impact states, “research demonstrates that … involving communities in big policy decisions and giving them the time to become informed before they give their recommendations leads to more legitimate and effective policies.” Therefore, we must use our voices to demand change by voting for certain representatives and legislation to protect the Dreamers who call the United States of America their home.

As for our elected officials, the fate of DACA policy is in your hands. With the power you possess, you can help Dreamers secure a clear path to citizenship by advocating for immigration reform and changing the narrative around this policy to show the benefits Dreamers provide to the U.S.

As current USC graduate social work students, we recognize our voices’ power and the responsibility to speak out when we see injustice in our society. We want to be a part of the change to help Dreamers obtain permanent citizenship. That is why we have encouraged and advocated for our fellow citizens and elected officials to support DACA policy. By doing this, we will be able to create a better and brighter future for Dreamers and the United States of America — a nation founded and built by immigrants looking for a better future.

Oscar Chavez Robles & Jeoffrey Lopez

Masters Candidates in Social Work

Class of 2025