An immigration attorney told the Capital Press this week that any changes to DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, would have little impact on agriculture. Tom Roach, a Pasco, Washington immigration attorney, says ending deportation deferrals for illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children may not be a big hit to agriculture. He says most of those in the program are in other occupations. Roach estimates that only five to ten percent of the 800,000-people benefiting from DACA deportation deferrals work in agriculture. Roach went on to say the administration’s action may be a blessing because it may force Congress to save DACA, noting that 80 percent of Americans favor the program. DACA is a two-year renewable deferral of deportation with work authorization granted to children of illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. under 15 years-old. The program was granted by executive order by President Barack Obama in 2012.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.