Reviewing a decade of DACA

This year marks the 10-year anniversary of DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program set up by the Obama administration. Under the program, hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants have received protection from deportation and the opportunity to officially participate in the American economy. It’s estimated that DACA recipients contribute more than $9 billion in federal, state and local taxes annually. But DACA was supposed to be a temporary fix in lieu of comprehensive immigration reform. So a decade later, why is it still on shaky legal ground, and where’s the real reform? “The dollars and cents, the costs and benefits of DACA are very clear in terms of positive impacts to individuals, families and to the broader American economy. But when we think about DACA, it is very much steeped in the broader debate over comprehensive immigration reform. And when we talk about that debate over comprehensive immigration reform, we are talking about a highly political, highly partisan and highly contentious debate over who we are as a country,” said Tom Wong, professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego, and director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at the UCSD. On the show today, we discuss how DACA has changed the economic lives of recipients, where it stands today and how it’s influencing the broader immigration debate. In the News Fix, we’ll also discuss the promise of commercial supersonic airplanes and the economics of hearing aids. Plus, we’ll hear from listeners about DACA, a lesson about inflation for kids and what an EV driver learned about her car. Here’s everything we talked about today: “What Is DACA? And Where Does It Stand Now?” from The New York Times “2021 Survey of DACA Recipients Underscores the Importance of a Pathway to Citizenship” from The Center for American Progress “Immigrant advocates after W.H. meeting: ‘Next steps’ on policy remain unclear” from Politico “American Air Bets on New Supersonic Era, Orders 20 Boom Jets” from Bloomberg “F.D.A. Clears Path for Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids” from The New York Times “What’s the deal with inflation?” from Marketplace’s “Million Bazillion” podcast Have a question for the hosts? Send it our way. We’re at [email protected], or leave a voice message at 508-U-B-SMART.