Immigration Synthesis Essay  

First draft of Immigration Synthesis Essay

The Biden administration should continue to preserve the DACA program because it ensures that families stay together, it provides workers to an economy in need of them, and it gives opportunities to individuals and families who otherwise would not have the chance to better themselves and achieve the “American dream.” The DACA program was initially created in 2012 by the Obama administration to help undocumented adults and children have access to opportunities and in many cases a better life. It was meant as a legal pathway for immigrants who were brought to the US illegally to avoid deportation, work legally, receive an education and pay taxes.  When Trump was running for president he pledged to “build a wall” along the Mexican/US border and this attack on illegal immigration was meant as a direct attack on the immigration programs initiated by Obama and the DACA program in particular. Many people across the country supported Trump’s immigration crackdown and were very opposed to the number of immigrants being granted full/partial citizenship in the U.S.. Trump and his supporters view the people attempting to immigrate to the U.S. as the problem.  “But the real problem with DACA is the message it sends to the billions of poor and suffering people from around the world who would give anything to come here. That message says — if you can get here by hook or by crook — sooner or later we will give you legal status.” (Source E) The real message, which was not stated in this article, is that the United States is in desperate need of workers. Immigrants coming from countries with civil wars and unstable governments will take any form of work to sustain themselves and their families. For our country to function as a whole, we need every single person on the economic ladder, and many Americans will not take the low- paying, highly- labor-intensive jobs that many immigrants are eager to work. 

Along with providing workers for the country, DACA has helped families to stay together and has provided educational and work opportunities for children and young adults. “DACA has enabled recipients to pursue higher education, become homeowners, and earn higher wages” (Source F) Not only is the DACA program beneficial to the thousands of immigrants it affects directly, but it is a benefit to our country “with higher earnings comes more tax revenue and economic contributions that are felt in their communities and nationwide” (Source F). Everyone living and working in this country should have the same opportunities to access schooling and job opportunities and the DACA program ensures that no matter a person’s race or which nation they are from, everyone will have equal access to these educational and work opportunities. Source B is a political cartoon which depicts Trump and his followers protesting against the “dreamers” (the children who have benefited from the DACA programs). In the cartoon, Trump is telling the now young adults to leave the U.S., even though most of the recipients of the DACA programs have lived in the U.S for the majority of their lives. The DACA programs are such a foundational program for our country, as we are a country built on the backs of immigrants ever since 1776 when we gained our independence. 

It is more important than ever to maintain the DACA programs. The graph in Source D shows the dramatic decline in the number of approved DACA applications over the past 8 years ending in 2020 during Trump's presidency. The declining number of approved DACA applications is harming the American economy, and more importantly, negatively impacting the lives of thousands of children and families in search of opportunities through work and education.

Final draft of Immigration Synthesis Essay

Sophia Nisimblat

Mrs. Hagge

AP Language and Composition 

June 6, 2023  

Why we Need DACA 

The Biden administration should continue to preserve the DACA program. This government-sponsored immigration program is critical because it ensures that families stay together, it provides workers for an economy desperately in need of them, and it gives opportunities to individuals and families who otherwise would not have the chance to better themselves and achieve the “American dream.” The DACA program was initially created in 2012 by the Obama administration to help undocumented adults and children have access to opportunities and in many cases a better life. It was meant as a legal pathway for immigrants who were brought to the US illegally to avoid deportation, work legally, receive an education and pay taxes.  

When Trump was running for President,  he pledged to “build a wall” along the Mexican/US border and this attack on illegal immigration was meant as a direct attack on the immigration programs initiated by Obama and the DACA program,  in particular. Many people across the country supported Trump’s immigration crackdown and were very opposed to the number of immigrants being granted full/partial citizenship in the U.S.. Trump and his supporters view the people attempting to immigrate to the U.S. as the problem.  “But the real problem with DACA is the message it sends to the billions of poor and suffering people from around the world who would give anything to come here. That message says — if you can get here by hook or by crook — sooner or later we will give you legal status.” (Source E) The real message, which was not stated in this article, is that the United States is in desperate need of workers. Immigrants coming from countries with civil wars and unstable governments will take any form of work to sustain themselves and their families. For our country to function as a whole, we need every single person on the economic ladder, and many Americans will not take the low- paying, highly- labor-intensive jobs that many immigrants are eager to work. 

Along with providing workers for the country, DACA has helped families stay together and has provided educational and work opportunities for children and young adults. “DACA has enabled recipients to pursue higher education, become homeowners, and earn higher wages.” (Source F) Not only is the DACA program beneficial to the thousands of immigrants,  it is also a benefit to our country “with higher earnings comes more tax revenue and economic contributions that are felt in their communities and nationwide” (Source F). Everyone living and working in this country should have the same opportunities to access schooling and job opportunities and the DACA program ensures that no matter a person’s race or which nation they are from, everyone will have equal access to these educational and work opportunities. The DACA program makes the U.S. a leader in human rights in the world. It shows the rest of the world that America believes that education and opportunity belong to everyone, not just the affluent or privileged.  

Source B is a political cartoon which depicts Trump and his followers protesting against the “dreamers” (the children who have benefited from the DACA programs). In the cartoon, Trump is telling the now-young-adults to leave the U.S., even though most of the recipients of the DACA programs have lived in the U.S for the majority of their lives. The DACA programs are such a foundational program for our country, as we are a country built on the backs of immigrants ever since 1776 when we gained our independence. It is a cruel irony when Trump tells the “dreamers” to go back home because America is their home and Trump asserting otherwise shows how little he knows about the people his policies will affect.  

It is more important than ever to maintain the DACA programs. The graph in Source D shows the dramatic decline in the number of approved DACA applications over the past 8 years ending in 2020 during Trump's presidency. The declining number of approved DACA applications is harming the American economy, and more importantly, negatively impacting the lives of thousands of children and families in search of opportunities through work and education.