Commentary: AUSTIN - Senator Sylvia R. Garcia, Chair of the Senate Hispanic Caucus issued the following statement in regard to Attorney General Paxton urging President Trump to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) executive order or risk further litigation:
"This is an unwarranted attack on immigrant youth, known as DREAMers, that have done nothing but go to school, pay taxes, attend college, and work to better their lives, Texas and the United States of America. Without DACA, these students would be forced back into the shadows with no employment authorization, no access to identification, and it would undermine the Texas investment in their education. Regardless of the naysayers, I certainly hope they are not thought of as anything other than what they are -- bright young men and women who will enrich our country and are more than worth the small investment we make in their future. There is no justification to end the DACA policy, except to perpetuate fear and hatred towards all immigrants.
Moreover, this decision will also have significant negative economic consequences, as immigrants provide tremendous benefits to Texas. In this state, undocumented youth paid $51.6 million in university/college tuition and fees in 2013 as well as an estimated $1.6 billion in state and local taxes.