Relief from Deportation: Demographic Profile of the DREAMers Potentially Eligible under the Deferred Action Policy
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Highlights
Up to 1.8 million unauthorized immigrants brought to the United States as children were potentially eligible for deportation relief under the Obama-created DACA program.
- MPI's analysis of Census Bureau data estimated that 1.76 million unauthorized immigrants under age 31 could be potential beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program launched by the Obama administration in 2012. That is up from an earlier estimate of 1.39 million after DHS updated its eligibility criteria in August 2012.
- Of the 1.76 million, approximately 1.26 million met the minimum age threshold of 15 to file immediately; the remaining 500,000 would become eligible within the next decade if they met education requirements.
- About 350,000 young adults without a high school diploma or GED could qualify by re-enrolling in school, reflecting the updated DHS guidelines that expanded the eligible population.
This fact sheet provides an estimate of the number of DREAMers—unauthorized immigrants potentially eligible for a two-year reprieve from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative—based on eligibility criteria outlined by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in August 2012. It also offers a detailed analysis of the demographic characteristics of prospective beneficiaries, by age, education, region or country of birth, gender, and workforce participation. The fact sheet also provides state-level estimates.
According to MPI’s analysis of Current Population Survey (CPS) data from the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as many as 1.76 million unauthorized immigrants under age 31 who were brought to the United States as children are, or could become, potential beneficiaries of the deferred action initiative.
Of the 1.76 million potential beneficiaries, the authors calculate that 1.26 million meet the minimum age criteria—15 or older—to file immediately for DACA benefits. The remaining 500,000 will become eligible to apply within the next decade, provided that they meet the education and other requirements. Estimates of the educational outcomes of this population show that approximately 800,000 children and young adults are currently enrolled in the K-12 system; 390,000 have a high school diploma or GED as their terminal degree; 140,000 are enrolled in college; and 80,000 already have an associate’s degree or higher. Another 350,000 young adults could re-enroll in high school or GED programs to meet DHS’s new education criteria for DACA eligibility. Authors also expect work authorization provisions under DACA to significantly improve employment conditions and wages of successful applicants, as nearly 60 percent of prospective beneficiaries over the age of 15 participate in the labor force.
Table of Contents
I. Demographic Profile of the Potentially Eligible DREAMers
II. Data and Analytical Approach
About the National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy
The Center is a national hub connecting policymakers, educators, community leaders, and service providers with evidence-informed policy research, technical assistance, and data to advance effective immigrant integration at U.S., state, and local levels.
About the U.S. Immigration Policy Program
The U.S. Immigration Policy Program provides analysis of U.S. immigration pathways, the impacts of enforcement and other policies, and the characteristics of immigrant populations.
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