New Mexico Immigration Reform Coalition Responds to Trump Administration’s Decision to End the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program, Calls on Congress to Pass Bipartisan DREAM Act to Keep State Economy Strong

Santa Fe, NM — Today, the New Mexico Immigration Reform Coalition responded to President Trump’s announcement to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program, opposing the decision to remove the thousands of individuals that help make New Mexico’s economy stronger. The coalition called for Congressional solutions that instead harness the power of the foreign-born individuals eligible under DACA.

“Removing the protections provided to these youth by ending DACA is wrong. To not recognize and value the talents and contributions of these hardworking individuals is wrong,” said Allegra Love, Immigration Attorney and Founder of the Santa Fe Dreamers Project. “For the sake of our economy, our communities, and the principles we stand for, we need a different route that help keeps DREAMers right here in the U.S.”

The coalition is working with New American Economy (NAE), a bipartisan organization that supports immigration reforms which help both American and foreign-born workers build a better economy.

In a brief released on Friday, Spotlight on the DACA-Eligible Population, NAE found that:

• As many as 10,896 New Mexicans are currently DACA-eligible
• Despite the rhetoric claiming undocumented youths are a drain on the New Mexico economy, 89.5 percent of the DACA-eligible population who are at least 16 years old are employed
• New Mexico’s DACA-eligible population earns almost $117.5 million in total income annually.
• New Mexico’s DACA-eligible population contributes more than $16.8 million in total taxes annually, $9.8 million of which goes to state and local tax revenue in the state of New Mexico

“President Trump says he loves DREAMers,” said Kim Shanahan, Executive Officer of Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association. “If so, then there is only one way to show that love and that is to extend DACA and establish a clear and simple solution that allows these young Americans to stay and contribute to the health of our economy.”

“At a time when the State of New Mexico struggles economically and is faced with the task of keeping as many talented and motivated young workers and entrepreneurs, repealing DACA would further devastate our hopes for kick-starting our economy,” added Glenn Schiffbauer, Executive Director of Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce.

Leaders in the NAE New Mexico Coalition include: 

• Christina Medina, New Mexico State University, Professor of Political Science
• Kim Shanahan, Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association, Executive Director
• Justin Remer-Thamert, New Mexico Faith Coalition for Immigrant Justice, Program Director
• Allegra Love, Immigration Attorney and Founder of the Santa Fe Dreamers Project
• Glenn Schiffbauer, Executive Director for the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce
• Gregg Fulfer, Owner of Fulfer Oil and Cattle Co LLC
• Marcela Diaz, Executive Director of Somos Un Pueblo Unido
• Ani Jamgyal Lodro, Buddhist nun