This morning, the Philadelphia Inquirer had a great article about the Executive Action announced by President. It is important to remember that this Executive Action is good for everyone.
Think of the benefits to all, both immigrant and native born, including:
– Deferred Action adults will have work cards. This means they can get Social Security Cards, and pay into the Social Security fund that helps many elderly Americans pay their rent and put food on the table. Social Security already was receiving $13 billion a year from undocumented workers; this new Executive Action will be a significant boost.
– Deferred Action adults are going to be paying taxes. Think about the numbers: if the Administration is right, there are going to be more than 4+ million new taxpayers; that sure could fix a lot of bridges, and give the Head Start and other programs a much-needed boost.
– Road safety. So, once these Deferred Action adults obtain Social Security Cards and Employment Authorization Cards, in most states they will be eligible for Drivers Licenses. We have already had some discussion on this with the original DACA program; most states allow them to obtain drivers licenses. That is a good thing! Because legal drivers can get insurance. Makes me feel safer already.
– It helps ICE catch the bad guys, and leave the good guys alone. We all know that law enforcement officers have discretion. Ever got a warning instead of a ticket? Police officers decide every day who to arrest, and who to let walk free. The new Executive Order clarifies that ICE is supposed to focus on the terrorists, the criminals, and the recent border crossers. And not the immigrants who are hard-working and law-abiding. The background checks required by the Deferred Action program will also allow ICE to ensure that immigrants here are good folks. It ensures that our communities are safer in every way.
– Money and investment. We all benefit when entrepreneurs and high-tech industries make the United States their home. This new Executive Action is going to make it easier for investors to come here and invest, and build their technology in the USA. This keeps our country competitive on the world market.
Every one of these benefits is important to Americans, whether new, native, or en route. We can bicker about the politics both pro and con. But at the end of the day, we believe this Executive Action is a net plus for the United States!