The Positive Effects of DACA

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program has had an enormous effect on the lives of hundreds of thousands of undocumented young people and their families, explains the author.

Part of a Series

Idea of the Day

Idea of the Day

August marked the two-year anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program. Apart from temporarily deferring their deportations from the United States, DACA also gives eligible undocumented youth and young adults access to renewable two-year work permits and Social Security numbers.

Two years out, we now have a clearer picture of the benefits DACA has provided many undocumented young people. It has allowed them to achieve better economic opportunity, attain higher education, enroll in health insurance, and participate more in their local communities.

For more on this idea, please see:

How DACA Has Improved the Lives of Undocumented Young People by Zenen Jaimes Pérez

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