Statement in response to the Trump administration’s decision to end DACA

Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians vehemently objects to the Trump administration’s decision to end the DACA program. There is no scenario in which prematurely cutting short the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of the next generation of Americans is acceptable.

Every day, we have a firsthand view of the positive ripple effect of welcoming all immigrants. Immigrants are not looking for handouts. They are looking for an opportunity. When given the support, they open businesses, create jobs, earn wages, pay taxes, and buy goods and services in their communities. Ending the DACA program is not only devastating for so many young people working hard to achieve their American Dream, but will have dire consequences for our economy. According to a recent study by the CATO Institute, the cost of ending the program to the federal government alone would be about $60 billion over the next 10 years and the overall economic impact would be over $200 billion.

When elected officials become tone deaf to both economic and moral arguments in their policy making, we must find new approaches to persuading them. For this, we need your help. We are focused on providing quality education and training to newcomers striving to gain employment that sustains them and their families and sharing empirical data from our work. Please feel free to share your ideas for how to shape better public policy. Accelerating immigrant integration and economic advancement is good for all of us.