Las Vegas, Nevada –Yesterday, Congressman Steven Horsford, FWD.us, and Dream Big Nevada, hosted an event celebrating the 14th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy. The event brought together business leaders, advocates, and other local leaders to celebrate and honor the contributions and achievements of DACA recipients in Nevada, and call attention to the ongoing importance of this critical policy to Nevada's economy and communities. The event included a state of play update from FWD.us, remarks from Congressman Horsford, DACA recipients, and other participants around DACA’s significance to Nevada.

This comes as FWD.us recently released a new report on the DACA policy, “DACA 14 Years Later,” which highlights its impacts over the years and FWD.us’ new campaign to document and push back against the administration’s escalating attacks on DACA recipients. 

Established in 2012, DACA was designed to protect immigrants who came to the U.S. with their families as children from deportation and give them access to education in the U.S. Today, many DACA recipients are no longer children. The overwhelming majority (89%) are in the labor force and contribute $76 billion annually to the US economy. More than a third (36%) are married or have children (51%). Yet, despite these contributions, DACA recipients still lack a clear path to citizenship and today face an immediate, escalating crisis as the policy continues to face administrative attacks and legal threats. 

There are approximately 10,000 DACA recipients in Nevada alone. The average age of a DACA recipient in Nevada is 33, and they have been in our country for an average of 27 years. Eighty-one percent of DACA recipients in Nevada are also part of our workforce, playing vital roles in key sectors of the state economy, including healthcare, education, and infrastructure – sectors already facing acute labor shortages.

Congressman Steven Horsford: 

“Today we celebrate a program that has given hundreds of thousands of young people the chance to contribute to the only country they have ever called home.” Rep. Horsford said. “DACA recipients in Nevada are our neighbors, our co-workers, and vital members of our communities. While we mark this anniversary, we are reminded that their future still depends on permanent protections becoming law. I remain committed to getting that done, and today only strengthens my resolve to see it through.”

Jaime Rangel, DACA Recipient and Regional Government Relations Director, FWD.us: “DACA recipients have built their lives, families, and careers here in Nevada, and the uncertainty they continue to face is not good for them, their families and communities. I think of the life I’ve been able to build as a DACA recipient and the work I do at FWD.us that allows me to see the broader contributions of DACA recipients across the country every single day. Today’s anniversary is an opportunity for us to come together and recommit to delivering a permanent protection for DACA recipients. Thank you, Congressman Horsford, for your leadership on this issue and continued support to pass a permanent legislative solution for DACA recipients.”

Astrid Silva, Dream Big Nevada: “As we celebrate 14 years of DACA today, we also celebrate the dreams, resilience, and contributions of the 10,000 DACA recipients building lives here in Nevada. Dream Big Nevada is proud to stand alongside Congressman Horsford in pushing for the legislative action that will create a permanent path forward for Dreamers here in Nevada and across the country. We will not stop fighting for DACA recipients until they all have the protections that they deserve.” 

Key data points from FWD.us “DACA 14 Years Later” Report Include: 

• Fourteen years after the creation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, DACA recipients have grown up and lived the majority of their lives in America: youth who started as mostly high school and college students are now building careers and establishing families.
• Fourteen years later, DACA’s beneficiaries have built families and careers in the U.S.
  • Eighty-nine percent of DACA recipients are in the labor force.
  • DACA recipients contribute $76 billion annually to the US economy.
  • Thirty-six percent of DACA recipients are married, and 51 percent have children. 
• Today, more than 535,000 DACA recipients are building careers and growing their families across the U.S.
• If DACA ends, the country faces the loss of 440,000 workers, $648 billion in economic losses, $30 billion in lost business income, and up to $150 billion in lost state and local government revenue.
• More on DACA delays, denials, detentions, and deportations can be found here. 

Additionally, in Nevada alone, DACA recipients are building lives and families. 

• 10,000 DACA recipients live in Nevada.
• The average age of DACA recipients in Nevada is 33 years old, and on average they have been in the U.S. for 27 years. 
• Eighty-one percent of Nevada DACA recipients are in the labor force.