DACA & the DREAM Act

Introduction
Pros
- Pro 1: DACA is good for Dreamers and U.S. citizens.
- Pro 2: Deporting Dreamers is inhumane and cruel.
- Pro 3: DACA recipients are vital members of the American workforce.
Cons
- Con 1: DACA and the Dream Act only encourage more illegal immigration.
- Con 2: Amnesty should not be given to law breakers.
- Con 3: DACA sets a bad precedent for letting presidents circumvent the legislative branch.
Who are Dreamers?
- Countries of birth
- U.S. place of residence
- Gender
- Age
- Marital status
Historical Timeline
- April 25, 2001 - Representative Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL) introduces proto-DREAM Act.
- May 21, 2001 - Representative Chris Cannon (R-UT) introduces a more limited proto-DREAM Act
- August 1 2001 - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) introduce the DREAM Act
- April 7, 2006 - DREAM Act included in Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006
- May 9, 2007 - DREAM Act included in Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007
- October 18, 2007 - Senator Durbin sponsors DREAM Act
- March 26, 2009 - Bipartisan group from both houses reintroduce DREAM Act
- September 22, 2010 - DREAM Act reintroduced by Dick Durbin
- May 10, 2011 - President Barack Obama called for comprehensive immigration reform
- May 11, 2011 - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) reintroduces the DREAM Act
- July and October 2011 - California DREAM Act signed into law
- June 15, 2012 - Obama announces DACA
- June 15, 2012 - Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano establishes DACA as policy
- August 15, 2012 - March 19, 2018 - Arizona Dream Act Coalition (ADAC) v. Brewer
- November 20, 2014 - Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson expands DACA and announces DAPA
- April 7, 2015: Crane v. Johnson
- August 14, 2015: Arpaio v. Obama
- June 23, 2016 - United States v. Texas
- September 4, 2017 - Attorney General directs Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to rescind DACA
- September 5, 2017 - Acting Secretary of DHS Elaine C. Duke rescinds DACA
- January 9, 2018 - Court injunction requires DHS to continue DACA
- February 13, 2018 - June 18, 2020 - Dept. of Homeland Security, et al., v. Regents of the University of California, et al
- Mar. 27, 2020 - Lawyers argue Dreamers are essential during Covid-19 pandemic
- July 28, 2020 - December 4, 2020 - The “Wolf Memo” seeks to limit DACA
- January 20, 2021 - Biden issues day one memo to protect DACA
- July 16, 2021 - September 13, 2023 - State of Texas, et al., v. United States of America, et al.
- August 24, 2022 - DHS codfies DACA
- October 5, 2022 - U.S. Court of Appeals says DACA is illegal
- May 3, 2024 - December 23, 2024 - DACA recipients declared eligible, then ineligible, for Obamacare
- January 17, 2025 - DACA ruled unlawful again
1-minute survey
Discussion questions
Sources

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

A diverse group of protesters stands in front of a brick building holding colorful signs with messages supporting DACA and Dreamers at a rally at the University of Michigan.

Madeleine Albright

DACA & the DREAM Act: References & Edit History

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

The Editors of ProCon
ProCon's editors write and verify new content and update existing content. ProCon presents the pro and con arguments to debatable issues in a straightforward, nonpartisan, freely accessible way.

Article History

Type	Description	Contributor	Date
	Intro expanded.	The Editors of ProCon	Aug 26, 2025
	Title adjusted.	The Editors of ProCon	Aug 11, 2025
	Survey added.	The Editors of ProCon	May 07, 2025
	Link added.	The Editors of ProCon	Feb 12, 2025
	Link added.	The Editors of ProCon	Feb 04, 2025
	Overall update.	The Editors of ProCon	Feb 04, 2025
	New article added.	The Editors of ProCon	Oct 28, 2024