A Majority of Voters Support Continuing DACA Program
By Suhan Kacholia
Almost 600,000 people receive protection from deportation because of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. However, the legislation, which protects eligible undocumented youth, or “Dreamers,” is being challenged in federal court. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit temporarily extended DACA earlier this month, following a ruling last year that deemed the program unlawful. Currently, DACA is frozen in place, causing many to lose their status and preventing over a million eligible people from applying.
In an October 2022 national survey, Data for Progress finds this court ruling contradicts public opinion. By a +27-point margin, voters support continuing the DACA program. Democrats overwhelmingly support the policy (79 percent), as do over half of Independents (58 percent). Though a slight majority of Republicans oppose continuing DACA, 37 percent support keeping it in place. Latina/o voters support DACA by a +48-point margin, compared to a +23-point margin of support among non-Latina/o respondents.
Though DACA is a critical program for young immigrants, it is only a temporary solution. Meanwhile, the American Dream and Promise Act, passed by the House of Representatives in 2021, would provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. By a +32-point margin, voters back a policy to provide DACA recipients the opportunity to gain U.S. citizenship. Majorities of both Democrats (79 percent) and Independents (59 percent) support a pathway to citizenship. While a slight plurality of Republicans would oppose such a measure, a significant 43 percent would support it.
Protecting Dreamers is also politically popular. A plurality of voters (47 percent), including 57 percent of Latina/o voters, say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports a path to citizenship for DACA recipients. Only 29 percent of voters say this would make them less likely to vote for that candidate, while 24 percent state it would not impact their decision.
DACA has given hundreds of thousands of young people the opportunity to pursue their dreams and contribute to the country. A majority of voters support continuing the program. Dreamers deserve permanent protections — and voters widely back a measure to create a pathway to citizenship for them. As the DACA program faces ongoing court challenges, lawmakers in Congress should act with urgency to protect our nation’s young immigrants.
Suhan Kacholia (@SuhanKacholia1) is an intern at Data for Progress.