Nine years ago, Congress was at a deadlock on immigration reform. This time it was about protecting young immigrants who were brought illegally to the U.S. by their families.Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (or DACA) was created by President Barack Obama to provide an immediate, but temporary, solution for immigrants who are unable to obtain an education or participate in the economy and workforce.Nearly a decade later, Congress is still unable to provide permanent protections for these Dreamers and an earned path to citizenship. They are now subject to the restrictions that come with living in temporary legal status, which threatens both our national and regional economies.More than 100,000 DACA recipients in Texas have $3.5 billion in spending power, and they pay $417.7 millions in state and local taxes each year. North Texas has the third highest concentration of DACA recipients, with almost 35,000 DACA citizens. These young immigrants are creating work and bringing their hard work and intelligence to many industries. The region also has 92,000 DACA-eligible immigrant immigrants, who collectively paid nearly $200 million in taxes in 2017.The DACA program offered hope to young immigrants, and was successful. However, the current program is limited and temporary. FWD.us, an advocacy group for immigrants, has released a report that shows that 23% of illegal immigrants in Texas are Dreamers, many of whom came to this country as children.Most Americans believe it is important to provide Dreamers with pathways to citizenship. Recent polling shows that 74% believe that immigrants who arrived in the U.S.as children should be granted permanent legal status.This type of policy support should be appreciated by our country. We are a nation that was founded by immigrants. The grant of citizenship to Dreamers is in keeping with our American core values of hard work and as an opportunity for progress and opportunity, no matter where a person comes from. Community leaders and business leaders throughout the state see the economic advantages of having immigrant workers in their communities and regions.Continue the storyNorth Texas's immigrant population makes up 24.4% and 29.4% respectively of the workforce. This is a key factor in modernization and innovation, especially in science, technology engineering, and math. Nearly 103,000 immigrants have founded businesses in DFW and generated $2.9 billion in business income in 2017.Sensible immigration policies like DACA, which protect certain young immigrants, have been continually under attack by Congress, the previous administration, and the courts. The U.S. Supreme Court made a decision to support the program one year ago. A U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen from Texas could decide to end DACA, a decision that would be devastating for our communities and halt future economic growth.DACA could be ended if Congress does not act quickly. But, the US would suffer a $6.2 Billion loss in its GDP if these people were removed from Texas.The North Texas Commission is proud to advocate for legislation that gives citizenship to Dreamers. We have over 50 years of combined experience and a strong reputation for teaching and supporting state and federal policies that promote business and help our region thrive.We are the fourth fastest growing region in the nation and we need all Dreamers in order to have access to growth opportunities and develop our manufacturing, healthcare and tech industries.As we celebrate the contributions made by immigrants through the DACA program, let's also emphasize the importance of a legislative solution to provide economic security for North Texas' Dreamers.Time is money and delaying such legislation is not only imprudent, but also a wasteful of potential and resources.Chris Wallace is the president and CEO at the North Texas Commission. This public-private partnership promotes and advocates the region.
