FWD.us and the Texas Association of Business Host Roundtable on Benefits of the DACA policy for Texas Businesses, Families, and Communities
AUSTIN, TX—On the heels of the 13th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, FWD.us and the Texas Association of Business (TAB) convened business leaders and directly impacted individuals for a roundtable highlighting the importance of the DACA policy, the urgent need to protect its recipients, and preserve their ability to contribute to Texas’ economy and communities.
Moderated by Glenn Hamer of the Texas Association of Business, the discussion featured a state of play update on the policy from Mark Delich, Vice President of Government Relations at FWD.us, and testimony from Edilsa Lopez, an Austin-based DACA recipient and accountant. The event underscored DACA’s significance to Texas’ economy and workforce, and the uncertainty posed by ongoing legal challenges against the policy.
Key facts shared during the event about the potential impact of ending DACA in Texas included:
Ending DACA would shrink Texas labor force:
- 70,000 DACA recipients forced out of the workforce.
- 34,000 additional jobs removed if DACA-owned businesses close.
Ending DACA would drag down Texas economy:
- $37.0 billion in future, projected economic losses.
- $782 million in annual lost revenue for state and local governments.
- $227 million in annual business income losses.
“For decades, Congress has struggled to address immigration reform and now is the time for both parties to come together and deliver real solutions. We have a once and a generation opportunity to do so now that unlawful entries are at a record low and the demand for workers exceeds our domestic workforce,” said Glenn Hamer, President and CEO of Texas Association of Business. “Securing our border, strong vetting protocols, and creating a pathway to legalization and eventually citizenship for those who have known no home but the United States must be top priorities for this Congress. The Texas Association of Business is committed to working with leaders on both sides of the aisle to advance meaningful reform—including providing permanent protections for 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. Most (97%) have a high school diploma or its equivalent, and more than half (52%) have some college education. The overwhelming majority (79%) are in the labor force, and more than a third (36%) are married or have children (36%). Yet, despite these contributions, DACA recipients still lack a clear path to citizenship and remain uncertain about their futures as the policy continues to face legal threats.
There are approximately 89,000 DACA recipients in Texas alone. The average age of a DACA recipient in Texas is 31, and they have been in our country for an average of 26 years. More than 70,000 DACA recipients in Texas are also part of our workforce, playing vital roles in key sectors of the state economy.
The roundtable underscored this urgency from both sides of the issue – Texas business leaders and impacted individuals. Participants discussed the state of play for the DACA policy, and avenues to secure permanent protections for Dreamers and protect current work authorization.
“Thirteen years after DACA was created, it remains a vital lifeline for hundreds of thousands of people, including nearly 89,000 Texans. DACA recipients strengthen our workforce and contribute billions to our economy. As we recognize this anniversary, we will continue to call for permanent protections and celebrate the undeniable contributions of DACA recipients and Dreamers to our nation,” said Mark Delich, Vice President of Government Relations at FWD.us.
“I know that my story, marked by trials and tribulations, from experiencing homelessness on the streets of Guatemala to being kidnapped along the U.S.-Mexico border, and ultimately graduating from UT-Austin and working in accounting at Fortune 500 companies, is unique, yet not unlike the journeys of many of my DACA recipient peers. I am proud of my path from hardship to achievement and believe that long term protections are long overdue for Dreamers like me,” said Edilsa Lopez, a local DACA recipient and accountant.
“DACA recipients are essential to Texas’ economy – they are our employees, our entrepreneurs and our neighbors. Here in Austin in particular, I have seen how their contributions have helped to drive innovation and growth, and I hope that lawmakers will soon offer them the stability that they deserve,” said Travis Krogman, Vice President of State & Federal Relations at the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce.
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