Debbie Mucarsel-Powell wants scholarships for DACA kids

Debbie Mucarsel-Powell says Obamacare is in a battle for its existence.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell suggested Florida may benefit economically by allowing those in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to receive state aid and scholarships.

Her comments came during a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee on the program’s potential repeal. The Miami Democrat stressed her own status as an Ecuadorian immigrant after testimony by several of the program’s beneficiaries.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, put in place under former President Barack Obama, allows immigrants living in the country illegally – who were brought here as children – to remain in the U.S. It does not convey legal status but conveys temporary protection from deportation and permission to work legally.

“You have placed roots here in this country,” Mucarsel-Powell said. “As far as I’m concerned, you are as American as any one of us.”

During the hearing, she also addressed Donald Graham, board chairman for Graham Holdings Company. The former Washington Post publisher now offers a program called TheDream.us that offers scholarships.

DACA recipients are often referred to as “Dreamers,” based on the never-passed DREAM Act that would have provided similar protections.

Mucarsel-Powell asked Graham what economic benefits exist by making funding available.

Graham said he couldn’t provide a “horseback estimate” of that. But he said 10 states right now do offer higher education aid for DACA beneficiaries. Those include California, Texas and New York.

“It would be relatively easy to ask California or Texas education officials, what’s been the effect of that,” Graham said.

He also noted Florida education officials keep records on graduates of the state’s public and private colleges. He said figuring the economic benefits to Florida would also be simple based on that data.

Mucarsel-Powell said she has spoken with a number of DACA recipients in South Florida. Many of them have trouble finding financial support for college.

During the hearing, she praised Yazmín Irazoqui-Ruiz, a third-year medical student in New Mexico.

“We have so many members of our community who are right now, just like you, studying to be doctors, providing health services that are so greatly needed in my community,” she said.

The hearing marked the first Congressional look at DACA since Democrats took control of the U.S. House in January. President Donald Trump in 2017 announced an end to DACA protections put in place by Obama.

Trump and Congressional Republicans have said they would consider extending DACA protections if discussions included improvements to border security. Democrats in the committee expressed hopes of passing a clean bill offering permanent protection for DACA recipients.