WASHINGTON, DC – FWD.us President Todd Schulte released the following statement today on the fifth anniversary of the enactment of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which grants temporary work authorization and protection from deportation to young undocumented individuals who entered the United States under the age of 16 and meet stringent background check requirements:

“The DACA program has enabled nearly 800,000 hardworking young Dreamers to come out of the shadows and live free from the fear of deportation, allowing them to contribute more fully to our communities and the American economy. With the work authorization DACA provides, nearly 90% of all recipients have earned a job, allowing more than one in ten to have purchased their first home and more than half of them to purchase a vehicle. Not only has this program allowed these young people to support their families, it has also allowed them to contribute to their local economy.

“Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle understand that DACA recipients are essential to our communities, working in fields like teaching and medicine, and serving bravely in our military. They add billions in GDP growth to our economy, creating American jobs and raising wages for all U.S. citizens. We should build on the important progress made over the last five years and permanently ensure that Dreamers and their families are able to continue to contribute to our communities and our country.”