What will happen to DREAMers in 2016?

One of the things we here at Dreamers Are Us take pride in is to provide unbiased advice unlike attorneys (who are fishing for clients who will pay no matter the outcome) and immigration activists (who do a great job putting themselves out there but put fighting ahead of common sense).  Since illegal immigration has become the defining issue for the 2016 presidential elections, many DACA approved and those who have not even applied are writing to us asking what lies ahead.  Here is our honest assessment of the situation and prediction of the future:

Election of a GOP president:  Except for Jeb Bush, no other candidate is proposing any relief for those immigrants illegally present in the United States.  Even if he were to become president, there are enough Republican politicians in both houses who oppose his plan to kill it.  While it is looking less likely that Bush will be the candidate, if he does become president, he is at least not likely to kill DACA.  In other words, DACA approved DREAMers get 4 more years.

Election of a Democratic president:  While all Democrats support legalization of all undocumented aliens, nothing will happen unless they control both houses of Congress (and even then there is no guarantee because when they did so in the past, immigration reform was a low priority).  There is absolutely zero probability that the House will be controlled by Democrats.  In other words, the way Obama has been unsuccessful so far, a Democratic president in 2016 will be unable to do anything beyond extending DACA for another four years.

Future of DACA in courts:  Lawsuits targeting DACA (and DAPA) are making their way through the courts and eventually will reach the Supreme Court.  Legal experts believe that DACA will be declared unconstitutional.  If that were to happen, even a Democratic president will be helpless.  At that point, anyone with DACA approval will revert to being illegally present in the United States and while they will keep their social security number, they will no longer be eligible to work legally.  Most law abiding companies will terminate their jobs immediately.

So what should DREAMers do?  At this time it seems that illegal immigration has become such a toxic topic that any action to help them is highly unlikely for at least next 10 years.  While even President Donald Trump may not deport everyone, there is a possibility that he and other Republicans can make life difficult by enforcing eVerify and targeting employers.  So if you are a DREAMer who is willing to live under uncertainty and without full rights for at least a decade or two, it is fine to keep living illegally in the United States.  However, if you are a smart DREAMer with hopes for a positive future (particularly if you are educated), you may want to build a life in another country where you will have full rights and can build a solid career.