Beyond DACA – Defying Employer Sanctions Through Civil Disobedience

The fact that DACA recipients — and essentially all Dreamers — have become part of the conscience of the country and a critical part of the economy is illustrated by the strong support for them exhibited by major businesses in the United States. Dozens of CEOs from companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Netflix, AT&T, Wells Fargo, Google, and Facebook urged the president to preserve the program. After the Trump Administration announced the rescission of the DACA program on September 5, 2017, even more companies denounced the action and called on Congress to pass the Dream Act before the DACA termination date of March 5, 2018. Although the statements of support for DACA recipients and Dreamers, and calls for passage of the Dream Act are important, are employers willing to do more? In this draft essay, I challenge employers to engage in civil disobedience and to continue to hire Dreamers even after their employment authorization expires. I review the notion of corporate civil disobedience, and explain why such action in this context would be a bold statement and can prove vital to bringing about a permanent, fair outcome for Dreamers.