BILL ANALYSIS:
JANUARY 2017
The BRIDGE (Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream and
Grow our Economy) Act
(S. 128 & H.R. 496)
The United States is a nation of immigrants. Throughout its history, people have
moved here from all over the world and have
contributed to their communities and our national life. Today, as in the past, immigrants
are also creating prosperity for this nation.
Despite their contributions, many immigrants face discrimination and barriers to
opportunity. This increases their likelihood
of struggling with hunger and poverty. Many
immigrants, especially those from Mexico,
Central America, and parts of Africa and
Southeast Asia, leave their home countries to
escape deep poverty or violence. They may
come wanting to contribute to this nation, but
once here, they may be isolated by a combination of poverty, limited English proficiency,
and discrimination based on race, ethnicity,
citizenship status, and/or gender.
People without documentation who live and work here
are among the most vulnerable people in our country. They
are more likely to live in poverty and to struggle to put food
on the table. The national poverty rate is 14.8 percent, while
the poverty rate for immigrants, as a group, is 30 percent. It
is likely that the poverty rate of undocumented households is
even higher. Immigrants without documentation have a foodinsecurity rate that is twice that of the overall U.S. population
(see table below).
Joseph Molieri/Bread for the World
Overview
Background
In 2012, in response to our broken immigration system,
President Obama announced a new Department of Homeland
Security policy called The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. DACA provides temporary relief and protection from removal as well as work authorization to young
undocumented students and veterans who grew up in the
United States. Many DACA recipients only know this country as home and are engaged in local communities through
work, church, and school. These young adults are sometimes
referred to as DREAMers.
In order to receive this
FOOD INSECURITY
relief, DREAMers must
register with the governGeneral Population Undocumented Immigrants
ment, pay a fee, and pass
All households
12.7%
24%*1
a criminal background
check. More than 740,000
Households with children
7.8%
N/A
young people have received
DACA, and recipients live
Female-headed households with children
30.3%
Between 30-46%*
in almost every state. BeMigrant and seasonal workers
N/A
50-65%*
cause DACA is not law, but
only an executive action,
*Percentage is based on a subset of immigrants and/or refugees.
the protections in place for
Sources: “Food Security in the United States, 2015,” U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service and “Food Insecurity among
nearly 1 million young stuImmigrants, Refugees, and Asylees.” Food Research and Action Center. February 2016.
dents and veterans can be
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easily changed or terminated by the Trump administration.
Many findings indicate that DACA has significantly helped
undocumented youth achieve higher paying jobs and education while increasing their contribution to the local economy.
According to the Center for American Progress, those who are
protected by DACA benefit from a 45 percent wage increase,
on average; in fact, 87 percent of DACA recipients are currently working.2
Overview of the Bill
On Jan. 12, 2017, S. 128 was introduced in a bipartisan
manner by Sens. Richard Durbin (D- IL) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC). At the same time, H.R. 496 was introduced by
Reps. Mike Coffman (R-CO-06) and Luis Gutierrez (D-IL-04)
in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream and Grow
our Economy (BRIDGE) Act would provide temporary relief from deportation and authorize employment for eligible
individuals. Temporary protection under the BRIDGE Act
would ensure that these young people can continue to work
and study in the United States while Congress debates legislation to fix our broken immigration system. The BRIDGE Act
would provide provisional protected presence and employment authorization for three years following the enactment
of the legislation.
Analysis
Providing temporary relief for DACA recipients is a step in
the right direction. Because a substantial percentage of undocumented immigrants in the United States lives in poverty and because legalization would help them escape hunger, immigration
reform fits Bread for the World’s domestic agenda. We advocate
for legislation that ensures a place at the table for everyone in the
United States, regardless of legal status.
Rescinding DACA without passing the BRIDGE Act would
not only have devastating effects on the recipients and their
families—whom they often support—but it would also hurt our
economy. DACA recipients are significant contributors to their
local economies. The Center for American Progress estimates
that 645,000 workers would vanish from the economy if DACA
protections are removed. Further, if DACA protections are terminated, the United States would suffer a loss of $433.4 billion
in gross domestic product (GDP) over ten years.3
As a Christian-based organization, we strongly believe in exercising our faith into action. Matthew 25:35 says, “For I was
hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me
something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me…”
Part of welcoming our brothers and sisters requires advocating
for their well-being and dignity. Through DACA, more than
741,000 individuals have been welcomed and invited to contribute to our society and communities. This legislation provides an
opportunity for young adults to continue to thrive.
Bread for the World will continue to support legislation like
the BRIDGE act, which strives for lasting solutions to our broken immigration system. To end hunger, we must implement
lasting solutions. We must have comprehensive immigration
reform that (1) addresses the poverty and lack of opportunity
in countries with high migration flows; (2) provides better opportunities for undocumented immigrants living in our country;
(3) welcomes communities and persons directly affected at the
policy table; and (4) includes a responsible pathway to earned
citizenship. We urge all members of Congress to co-sponsor the
BRIDGE Act and send a strong message that rescinding DACA
has moral and economic repercussions that Congress cannot
allow or afford.
TAKE ACTION: Call your senators and representative (800-826-3688) and tell them
to co-sponsor the BRIDGE Act (S. 128 & H.R. 496).
Endnotes
1 “Statistical Portrait of the Foreign-Born Population in the United States.” Pew Research Center Hispanic Trends.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2016/04/19/statistical-portrait-of-the-foreign-born-population-in-the-united-states-key-charts/
2
“Results from a Nationwide Survey of DACA Recipients Illustrate the Program’s Impact.” Center for American Progress. https://www.americanprogress.
org/issues/immigration/news/2015/07/09/117054/results-from-a-nationwide-survey-of-daca-recipients-illustrate-the-programs-impact/
3
“The High Cost of Ending Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.” Center for American Progress. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2016/11/18/292550/the-high-cost-of-ending-deferred-action-for-childhood-arrivals/
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