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security of the nation. According to Kumar and Krueger (2013), a variety of studies have

underscored the contributions of undocumented immigrants to the economic development of the

United States. Creating reforms that will regularize undocumented immigrants to full members

of the documented economy can only enhance their contributions especially when viewed from

the perspective of expansion of the revenue base.

Conclusion

This paper has examined America’s policy on undocumented immigrants with specific

reference to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). It attempted an examination of

the policy from the perspective of its objective, rationale, and justification (pros) as well as the

rationale and justification (cons) for its termination. The paper also made attempts at unearthing

the factors responsible for Congress’s inability to adopt a legislative policy to address the

challenge of this category of immigrants, despite a variegated range of attempts since the Bush

era. There was also an attempt to reconcile and balance the contending arguments within the

broad themes of constitutionalism and legality, morality, equity and good conscience as well as

economics. It is evident at this point that the immigration challenge is not going anywhere

anytime soon, and Congress and decision makers must dig deep in their decision-making, and

find ways of finding common ground, as this is a challenge that urgently yearns for a legislative

solution. The challenge has become protracted and may soon become intractable.

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