No breakthroughs on a DACA compromise this past week and as a result other outside action is proceeding.

A group of advocates will sponsor a briefing on Wednesday, November 29 to highlight the benefits of the DACA provisions.  The briefing (see below) will feature business leaders; educators on these young people can assist the economy and the future of this country.

In addition to this action, CLASP has issued a new paper, Expanding the Dream: Engaging Immigrant Youth and Adults in Postsecondary and Adult Education. The paper points out that out of the 11 million immigrants without legal status, approximately 3.2 million came to the United States before turning 18 and have lived in the country for at least four years. The paper also states that 45 percent of DACA recipients are currently enrolled in school or college and that for college students 72 percent are pursuing a Bachelor’s degree or higher.

In addition to these activities, the Federal 9th Circuit Court based in California supported a request by many parties that the Administration be forced to release White House documents on the decision process that was involved in making the decision to withdraw President Obama’s executive order that implemented DACA.

The DREAM Act, S. 1615, would offer a pathway to lawful permanent residency for an estimated 1.7 million so-called DREAMers, according to a recent analysis by the non-partisan Migration Policy Institute. The DREAM Act would provide the pathway to legal status for people covered under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which grants work permits to undocumented immigrants brought to the United States at a young age.

According to a recent survey, 97 percent of DACA recipients are currently employed or enrolled in school. More than a third of Dreamers are between the ages of 16 and 20. A Center for American Progress analysis, based on a survey of more than 3,000 DACA recipients in 46 states (the largest survey of DACA recipients to date), found that 45 percent of them are in school, and of those who are in school, 72 percent are pursuing a bachelor’s degree or higher.