How News Sources Portray DACA: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Policies
This chart shows how major news sources across the ideological spectrum frame daca: deferred action for childhood arrivals policies, from left to right-leaning perspectives.
Many of the media biases we observe, whether in news coverage or political rhetoric, stem from fundamental differences in policy perspectives held by major political parties. One of the many key points of conflict is DACA.
DACA, otherwise known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, is a program that protects eligible young adults who were brought to the United States through unlawful presence. It allows them to reside in the U.S. and provides them with work authorization for temporary, renewable periods as adults.
DACA is a policy that grants deferred action on deportation to immigrants who were brought to the United States unlawfully as children. This program concerns immigration, citizenship, and the rights of young adults brought to the U.S. as children, which is why it is essential and often incorporated in discussions of national identity, federal authority, and humanitarian responsibility. As a result, it tends to appear in political discourse, making it an important topic for evaluating how different policy perspectives shape media narratives and public debate.
The Democratic Stance on DACA
Democrats strongly support DACA and consistently defend its continuation. The Democratic Party views DACA recipients, or “Dreamers”, as contributing members of society who deserve protection and opportunity. The 2016 Democratic platform committed to protecting DACA from being overturned, emphasizing that these young adults were brought to the U.S. through no fault of their own. This has led the party to support and grant them protections that align with humanitarian values and practical economic interests.
The Democrats’ policy stance on DACA is reflected in their approval of providing legal stability for Dreamers. They tend to support expanding paths to citizenship and incorporating DACA into a long-term legislative solution. These views often appear in DACA policy analyses and in discussions of DACA rules and policies, not only connecting to broader immigration policy but also to the party’s commitment to civil rights and social equity initiatives.
Politicians Who Support DACA: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Rights
92% of Democratic voters support DACA, while 8% oppose it for concerns about fairness to other immigrants or fiscal implications.
The Republican Stance on DACA
The Republican stance on DACA is more divided than the Democratic Party. Unlike many other immigration issues, DACA does not create an overwhelming partisan split among voters. Elected officials usually take a more skeptical or restrictive stance.
The Republican Party platform does not take a specific position on DACA, despite votes on a 2019 bill to extend a pathway to citizenship to such immigrants being split along partisan lines, with only 7 Republican representatives voting in favor. This suggests that Republicans in Congress tend to oppose expanding or making permanent protections for Dreamers, even though Republican voters are more evenly split.
Republican discussions often emphasize broader concerns about executive overreach, border enforcement, and immigration procedures. These concerns frequently appear in debates framed around the question, “Is DACA a social policy?” In this case, Republicans often urge Congress to establish a legislative solution if one exists.
Politicians Who Oppose DACA: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Rights
Among Republican voters, support and opposition are split at 50% each.
Policy on DACA in the United States
Unlike other immigration issues, DACA does not provoke a harsh partisan divide among voters. Polling indicates that 92% of Democratic voters support DACA, while 8% oppose it for concerns about fairness to other immigrants or fiscal implications. Among Republican voters, support and opposition are split at 50% each. Republicans in favor consider economic or workforce considerations, while those opposed emphasize legal and security concerns. It shows that Democratic policy preferences align with public opinion among their voter base, while Republicans are more divided.
DACA is a policy of deferred action, meaning that eligible individuals are not granted lawful status, but their deportation is delayed, and they are authorized to work legally. This distinction is often highlighted in DACA policy briefs and reports, which emphasize that DACA recipients still lack a direct pathway to citizenship unless Congress enacts new laws.
This policy provides renewable two-year protections from deportation and work authorization for eligible young adults brought to the U.S. unlawfully as children. Eligibility requires continuous residence in the U.S. since 2007, passing a background check, meeting educational or military criteria, and proving arrival before age 16. It does not grant citizenship or legal permanent residency.
A Brief History of DACA in the U.S.
The history of DACA begins with years of congressional gridlock over the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act is a legislation originally introduced in 2001 that seeks to provide a pathway to citizenship for eligible undocumented youth. Because Congress failed repeatedly to pass the act, President Barack Obama announced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy on June 15, 2012, using executive authority to offer temporary protections.
DACA began accepting applications in August 2012, instantly becoming a major part of immigration policy discussions. It has since remained one of the most debated executive actions in modern history. Recently, legislative efforts to create a permanent solution have stalled, leading to ongoing battles. Several states have also sued to block the policy, creating significant challenges for renewal and expansion.
In 2017, the Trump administration attempted to rescind DACA, but was blocked by the Supreme Court in 2020, ruling that the rescission was “arbitrary and capricious.” The Biden administration restored the program and issued new rules to reinforce it, though court challenges continue. This uncertain history is central to understanding ongoing debates regarding policy stance on DACA and whether it should be considered a temporary executive policy.
What the Future Holds
The future of DACA remains uncertain, largely because it exists as an executive policy rather than legislation. This makes the program vulnerable to court rulings and administrative challenges. Many analysts argue that Congress must pass a permanent legislative solution to ensure long-term protections, which are frequently discussed in policy evaluations central to determining what DACA stands for.
Public opinion, however, remains strongly supportive. A majority of Americans favor allowing Dreamers to live and work in the U.S. with legal protections, which suggests potential for bipartisan cooperation despite Congress not yet reaching an agreement. Future debates will likely center on whether DACA should be expanded, replaced, or limited. Ultimately, it will depend on how policymakers balance humanitarian concerns, legal frameworks, and political priorities.
To explore how each political party views other key policy topics, visit Biasly’s full list of Political Party Policy Stances.
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