It’s true that implementation of DAPA and DACA+ — both to go before the Supreme Court on Monday — would have the most immediate impact on immigrants and their families.
But if fully implemented, both programs would also boost local and state economies all across the nation, filling taxcoffers with billions and standing to benefit all Americans.
The Supreme Court’s review of DAPA and DACA+ also coincidentally falls on the same day as the deadline for filing federal income taxes.
Immigrants deserve a chance to more fully contribute to their communities and states — but this partisan, Republican-led lawsuit is denying them that chance.
Not only that, but the Republican plaintiffs in the case are also denying their own states millions of dollars in tax revenue and restricting America’s full economic potential:
- If the Supreme Court unfreezes DACA+ and DAPA, state and local taxcoffers will grow by $805 million nationwide. A recent report from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) found that if the Supreme Court unfreezes the immigration executive action policies, state and local tax coffers would increase by an additional $805 million each year (see here for a state-by-state breakdown).
- There is nothing more American than paying taxes. Undocumented immigrants nationwide are already making a tremendous contribution to our taxbase. ITEP’s report found that the 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in America pay $11.64 billion in state and local taxes each year. Undocumented immigrants eligible for DAPA or DACA, specifically, pay $5.3 billion in state and local taxes (see here for a state-by-state breakdown).
- DACA+ and DAPA would grow the U.S. economy by $230 billion over 10 years: A report from the Center for American Progress estimates that fully implementing the deferred action programs —DACA, DAPA, and expanded DACA— would grow the U.S. economy by $230 billion over the next 10 years (see here for a state-by-state breakdown).
Undocumented immigrants are also contributing in vast quantities to America — and DAPA and DACA+ would allow them to become more fully a part of the America they love and want to help take care of. And it’s time the Supreme Court give them that chance.
