DACA-Eligible Population Contributes Almost $2.5 Billion to Key Social Service Programs

NEW YORK, NY – While Washington works to find a solution for DREAMers, New American Economy is showcasing the contributions and stories that highlight how the DACA-eligible population contributes to the U.S. economy. Already, NAE has highlighted DACA-eligible immigrant incomes and tax contributions. Today, we look at the role DACA-eligible immigrants play in keeping key social programs solvent, contributing almost $2.0 billion to Social Security and almost $470 million to Medicare in 2015 alone.

“Bottom line, Dreamers pay dividends for America,” said John Feinblatt, President of New American Economy. “They strengthen Social Security and Medicare by nearly $2.5 billion every year, and guaranteeing these young, productive workers stay on U.S. payrolls is the right investment for Congress to make.”

Further research compliled by NAE reveals how much DACA-eligible immigrants contribute to social services in key states:

• In 2015, DACA-eligible immigrants in Texas contribute $300 million to Social Security and $71 million to Medicare.
• DACA-eligible individuals living in Indiana pay $13.4 million to Social Security and $3.1 million to Medicare in 2015.

In addition to economic research on the DACA-eligible population, New American Economy has collected immigration stories from every single congressional district through iMarch.us. One such story highlights Dalia Garcia, who was able to secure a better-paying job and open a bank account as a result of getting DACA.

When Dalia was 4, her parents brought her across the Mexican border with hopes of finding work and escaping the gang violence that had taken over their home city. Now a DACA recipient, she works as a full-time bilingual administrative assistant, helping new immigrants start their own businesses. With nearly 1,200 immigrant entrepreneurs living in her home of Hot Springs, in Arkansas’ Fourth Congressional District, these services are greatly needed. “There are a lot of people like me who are hoping to grow and accomplish things,” she says. “Having that ticking clock hanging over us prevents us.”