Kansas City Star: Chamber report proves immigrants’ contribution

Ricardo Quinones was six months old when his family left Mexico for the United States. Today, he uses his college degree in psychology as a “behavioral implementer” — focusing on the well-being and care of his clients, who suffer from intense behavioral issues. The overall goal is to decrease unwanted behaviors with positive coping strategies and intervene when clients display dangerous behaviors to self, others and their environment.

He’s not married yet, but hopes to be someday. In the meantime, he says, until that happens he’s focusing on self-improvement and challenging himself to become a better person each day.

Ricardo is also a Dreamer, one of nearly 800,000 young people for whom the clock is ticking, following the Trump administration’s decision to rescind the program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.

DACA provided work authorization and protection from deportation to young immigrants who have completed school or served in our military, passed rigorous background checks, and met a number of other strict eligibility criteria. The future of Ricardo and other young people is now in jeopardy, and the impact this could have on our economy is significant.

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