A Dream Deferred: Ending DACA Threatens Children, Families, and Communities.

Abstract

* Abbreviation: DACA — : Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals > What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?. . . Or does it explode? > > Langston Hughes On June 15, 2012, the Obama administration issued a memorandum providing protection from deportation for a group of immigrant adolescents and young adults who were brought as children to the United States without authorization. This memorandum, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), has to date protected nearly 800 000 of the 1.9 million potentially eligible individuals (Table 1), including 228 000 children <15 years old who would age into eligibility.1 Over half of DACA recipients are <21 years old, one-quarter are parents of US-citizen children, and 70% have family members who are US citizens.2 Although DACA does not provide a permanent lawful immigration status and is only a piece of policy needed to support immigrant families, DACA allows youth to receive Social Security numbers, obtain driver’s licenses, seek higher education, and become legally authorized to work. DACA permitted those who consider America their home to finally feel at home. However, on September 5, 2017, the Trump administration announced it would end the program. As a result of this decision, nearly 800 000 current DACA … Address correspondence to Omolara T. Uwemedimo, MD, MPH, Department of Pediatrics, Cohen Children’s Medical Center, 269-01 76th Ave, New Hyde Park, NY 11040. E-mail: ouwemedimo{at}northwell.edu