The future remains uncertain for a group of young people who were brought to the U.S. as children without legal authorization.

Some of these so-called 鈥淒reamers鈥 were temporarily shielded from deportation through an Obama-era program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.

In 2017, President Donald Trump rescind DACA and tasked Congress with finding a durable solution before March 5, 2018. However, lawsuits were filed against Trump鈥檚 attempt to end DACA and the program until the cases are resolved.

Protestors rally in defense of DACA in Honolulu after President Donald Trump announced he would dismantle the immigration policy. Anthony Quintano/Civil Beat

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is holding up to end a January government shutdown led by Democrats, in an effort to spur action on Dreamers. As promised, the Senate is now holding an open debate on immigration.

Here is a roundup of archival stories to help you follow along.

1. DACA鈥檚 Terms And Conditions

DACA came with a long list of terms and conditions. For example, to apply you had to be a certain age and meet certain educational requirements.

Immigration scholar of the University of California, Davis, points out, DACA offered protection for only about 1.8 million of the estimated 3.6 million people who were brought to the U.S. as children. Of those 1.8 million who were eligible, .

2. DACA Doesn鈥檛 Cover Unaccompanied Minors

It鈥檚 important to point out that DACA also does not apply to 鈥渦naccompanied minors.鈥 You may have heard the term used especially in 2014, when unprecedented numbers of children traveling alone were arriving at the U.S. border with Mexico. Generally, these case are handled under a different set of laws and policies.

, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Southern California, Dornsife, has spent time doing in-depth interviews and observational research on this group of migrants, .

Canizales writes, 鈥淯ndocumented working youth migrate to Los Angeles in hopes of working to support their families who remain in their home countries. 鈥 Much like with their adult coworkers, economic necessity and fear of removal from the workplace and the country keep undocumented migrant youth workers quiet in cases of exploitation, and docile and efficient on the job.鈥

3. DACA Improves Mental Health

There is research that shows that DACA . Scholars of the University of South Florida, and of George Washington University, explain that being an undocumented immigrant in the U.S. carries with it severe mental health consequences. These include problems such as chronic worry, sadness, isolation and even suicidal thoughts.

Although DACA only offers temporary protection, the relief recipients felt was significant. They write, 鈥淭hese youth shared with us that they were more motivated and happy after Obama鈥檚 executive order. As Kate, one of our participants, told us, DACA 鈥榟as gone a long way to give me some sense of security and stability that I haven鈥檛 had in a very long time.鈥欌

4. Dreamers Would Boost US Economy

DACA critics have suggested that undocumented immigrants negatively impact the U.S. economy because they steal jobs from native-born people. In fact, there is growing evidence that shows how incorporating undocumented immigrants into the workforce actually boosts economic growth. For example, take City University of New York sociologist 鈥榮 study that shows .

She found that it would have no significant effect on the wages of U.S.-born workers. It would create more economic opportunities by encouraging legalized immigrants to make education gains. Hsin writes, 鈥淥verall, we estimate that the increases in productivity under the DREAM Act would raise the United States GDP by US$15.2 billion and significantly increase tax revenue.鈥

5. The Moral Argument For Dreamers

Arguably, at the core of the effort to protect Dreamers is a belief that the U.S. has a tradition of embracing those who arrive at its shores seeking a better life. However, a quick scan of history would reveal that the U.S. has not in fact always been so welcoming. As of the University at Buffalo explains, many writers have described U.S. history as an 鈥渙ngoing duel between generosity and greed.鈥

Bramen writes that : 鈥淎t stake is not only the fate of the Dreamers, but also how the country and the rest of the world understands the idea of America.鈥

6. Millions Still In The Shadows

Dreamers are the main impetus for the current debate on immigration. As professor of American University points out, a victory for Dreamers would be seen as a big 鈥渨in鈥 for Democrats and some Republicans.

Meanwhile, Trump and immigration hard-liners see it as an opportunity to strike a deal that would also include funding for additional security at the U.S.-Mexico border.

who are not Dreamers, and who have created lives and community ties in the U.S. For decades, Congress has stalled on comprehensive immigration reform that would offer undocumented immigrants a path to legal status. Even if Congress passes a Dreamer solution, the vast majority of undocumented immigrants will continue to live in fear of detention, deportation and long-term family separation.

The ConversationThis article has been updated to correct scholar Elizabeth Aranda鈥檚 affiliation, she is a professor at the University of South Florida.

This article was originally published on . Read the .

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