A Dream Solution for DACA

The intense political fight over DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, is more contentious than ever. But putting all the rhetoric and gamesmanship aside, it is imperative that the President and Congress stop treating DACA as a political football and a negotiating ploy and start discussing it as essential to America’s position and future as a world leader. To this end, I would like to offer a simple solution that all sides should want to agree upon: DACA should be tied not to building a concrete and glass wall, but to building a new national service corps.

The DACA National Service Corps

Permit me to explain. I am proposing that in exchange for being permitted to stay in the U.S. and a path to full citizenship, the 800,000 Dreamers — as the DACA students are called — would be required to commit to a minimum of two years of service to America, either in the military or by working in non-profit, education, community/civic service or public-sector jobs upon graduation. This idea is that by helping others through such service the Dreamers would be helping themselves, and more importantly, the country they have come to love and call home.

Mandatory National Service Has Its Benefits

In fact, the benefits of such mandatory service to both the Dreamers and to this country are considerable. Public service fosters a sense of common identity and national purpose among citizens. It nurtures the connection between the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Working in such jobs would help fill important social and sustainability needs. America’s parks and infrastructure are desperate for maintenance, repair and upgrade; schools in the most underserved communities need committed and caring teachers, nurses, and social workers; non-profits are always looking for entrepreneurial young professionals with backgrounds in organization, business, law and finance. And, of course, government agencies at all levels are eager to attract talented young men and women to their ranks.

For the DACA students, mandatory public service will go a long way in lowering their unemployment rates, which regularly are double the national average. And while the pay for such jobs is certainly not on par with the private sector, the benefits are quite often very generous, with more vacation, sick and family leave time, better health care, and more holidays. Of course, let’s not discount the altruism factor — numerous surveys make it abundantly clear that millennials want to be difference-makers; they want to leave a mark on the world. As a father of two millennials and a supervisor of many young adults I am inspired every day by their bravery, optimism and passion to contribute positively to our American society.

DACA gives these young people that opportunity, as well as hope for a brighter future. It has already increased access to higher education for thousands of undocumented immigrants; 72% of recipients are currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree or higher. Colleges and universities have seen these remarkable young people up close and have witnessed firsthand how Dreamers and young people with DACA contribute in invaluable ways to their campus community, their local community and our great country.

DACA is in America’s Best Interest

In fact, it remains in America’s best interest to enable Dreamers to use their knowledge, skills and energy to make the strongest possible contribution to our country. Consider how much better America and the world are today because of now graduated DACA students.

The President has said on several occasions that his administration would seek to help Dreamers because, as he rightly noted, they are “incredible kids.” And people on both sides of the aisle understand and agree that we need a permanent solution for DACA recipients. According to a CNN poll, 93% of Democrats, 81% of independents, and 74% of Republicans believe Dreamers belong here and should be allowed to stay.

That is why I am calling on Congress and the President to put their differences aside, act, and deliver. And by fulfilling a mandatory public service requirement, DACA students will also deliver — a stronger, better, and, dare I say, greater America.

Bruce Bobbins is an Executive Vice President at DKC Public Relations in New York.