PRESS RELEASE | CMS Finds DACA and DAPA Populations Part of American Society
PRESS RELEASE
Center for Migration Studies Finds DACA and DAPA Populations Part of American Society
IMMEDIATE RELEASE | MARCH 10, 2016
March 10, 2016

New York, NY – A new paper released today by the Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS) offers a statistical portrait of the potential beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program, the original Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program implemented in 2012 (“original DACA”), and the expanded DACA program announced in 2014 (“DACA-plus”). The report illustrates the degree to which these populations have become embedded in US society, finding that the great majority of DAPA and DACA recipients enjoy strong family ties, long tenure, and high employment rates in the United States.
Major findings in the report include:
Of the DAPA-eligible
- 89% are parents of US citizens only
- 7% have lawful permanent resident children only
- 4% have both US citizen and lawful permanent resident children
- 20% are married to a US citizen or legal non-citizen
DAPA and DACA recipients who have lived in the US for 10 years or more
- DAPA: 81%
- Original DACA: 85%
- DACA-plus: 72%
DAPA and DACA recipients in the labor force that are employed
- DAPA: 94%
- Original DACA: 89%
- DACA-plus: 90%
DAPA and DACA recipients who have at least a high school degree
- DAPA: 47%
- Original DACA: 93%
- DACA-plus: 95%
DAPA and DACA recipients who speak English well, very well or exclusively
- DAPA: 49%
- Original DACA: 91%
- DACA-plus: 83%
DAPA and DACA recipients with access to a computer and internet
- DAPA: 68%
- Original DACA: 74%
- DACA-plus: 73%
CMS derived its estimates on the DAPA- and DACA-eligible from statistics on the foreign-born population collected in the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). It first derived detailed estimates for all undocumented residents, and then used the characteristics of this population (e.g., year of entry, age at entry, etc.) to tabulate the numbers who would be eligible for DAPA and DACA in 2014, which is the most recent year available.
“The data in this report shows that these groups have built equities in our country,” said Donald Kerwin, CMS Executive Director and co-author of the report. “Giving them protection would not only enhance their ability to contribute to their communities, but would also keep families together.”
To download the report, “Potential Beneficiaries of the Obama Administration’s Executive Action Programs Deeply Embedded in US Society,” visit https://doi.org/10.1177/233150241600400102.
For an earlier CMS analysis of the DACA- and DAPA-eligible in 2013, visit https://doi.org/10.1177/233150241500300104.
For media requests, please contact Rachel Reyes, CMS Director of Communications, at [email protected].





