Amnesty is defined as an act of forgiveness for past offenses, especially to a class of persons as a whole. DACA provides forgiveness to an entire class of individuals who were between 15 and 31 years of age as of June 15, 2012; consequently, it is an amnesty program, as is also true for an even more expansive Dream Act.
But DACA actually encompasses at least eight separate amnesties.
First, there is amnesty from Social Security fraud since many illegal aliens eligible for DACA illegally obtained and used Social Security numbers for employment purposes. According to a survey conducted by pro-illegal alien organizations, 43.9 percent of all surveyed DACA recipients worked illegally prior to gaining DACA status; that percentage increases to 60.7 percent for DACA recipients over 25 years of age.
Second, there is amnesty from forgery since many DACA recipients used forged green cards, driver's licenses, and other government documents prior to receiving DACA status.
Third, DACA recipients are granted amnesty from perjury committed when they completed I-9 forms prior to receiving DACA status and swore, under penalty of perjury, that they were authorized to work in the United States.
A fourth amnesty is forgiveness from identity theft. Many individuals eligible for DACA committed identity theft when they used illegally obtained Social Security numbers belonging to American citizens, including the numbers of thousands of American children.
Fifth, DACA recipients who committed identity theft are granted amnesty from making restitution to their victims. Their identity theft victims are saddled with devastating financial, emotional, psychological, and criminal problems and are forced to spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars of their own time and money to undo the damage done by DACA beneficiaries.
It is important to note that the use of illegally obtained Social Security numbers by DACA applicants is so pervasive that the United States government actually instructs DACA candidates not to disclose those numbers. This ensures that their American identity theft victims are left holding the bag while the DACA recipients walk away scot-free from crimes that American citizens would be prosecuted for.
Sixth, there is amnesty from unpaid taxes. DACA candidates who worked previously are not required to provide proof of income and payroll tax payments.
Seventh, there is amnesty for the violation of immigration laws. The median age of DACA recipients is 25 years old. Once individuals illegally in the United States turn 18, they are unlawfully in the United States by their own volition. Thus, DACA provides amnesty from violations of immigration law committed by an entire class of people from 18 to 31 years old.
Eighth, employers who provide employment documents in support of DACA applications are promised amnesty from illegally employing illegal aliens.
In short, DACA exempts illegal aliens from crimes that American citizens would be jailed for. Even worse, it leaves Americans holding the bag for the harm inflicted on them by DACA recipients.
As currently structured, DACA definitely does not put Americans first.