Employers That Support DACA and Dreamers
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People who arrive in the U.S. without documentation face several challenges as they navigate life in the country. Without the ability to obtain a Social Security number or permanent residency card, finding employment can be difficult.
The DREAM Act, which has been introduced in Congress several times since 2001, aims to offer a pathway to citizenship for immigrants without documentation. Unfortunately, the DREAM Act has never passed. Nevertheless, in 2012, President Barack Obama implemented a short-term solution, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
The DACA program has allowed hundreds of thousands of young people, commonly referred to as “Dreamers,” to obtain work permits. Read on to learn about 10 companies that offer support to workers who have obtained work permits under DACA.
Employers That Support DACA
Verizon
Verizon is one of the three largest mobile service providers in the United States.
- Headquarters: New York City, New York
- Career Opportunities: Verizon offers career opportunities in various areas, including finance, human resources, legal, supply chain, strategy, customer support, cybersecurity, field operations, marketing, retail, sales, and technology.
- Support for DACA: In January 2018, Verizon published an article stating that it had joined several other large companies in signing a letter to Congress in support of DACA.
IBM
IBM is a leader in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and machine learning.
- Headquarters: Armonk, New York
- Career Opportunities: IBM offers job openings in digital sales, customer success, technical sales and architecture, and client technical leadership.
- Support for DACA: On June 18, 2020, IBM posted a blog post titled “IBM Applauds Supreme Court DACA Decision” in support of Dreamers who have been working on the front lines during the pandemic.
General Motors
GM is an automobile manufacturer making Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac vehicles.
- Headquarters: Detroit, Michigan
- Career Opportunities: GM has open jobs in its administration, communications, creative design, engineering, information technology, and legal departments.
- Support for DACA: On July 11, 2020, CNN Business published an article titled, “Businesses Including Apple and General Motors ask Trump to Keep DACA in Place.”
Cisco
Cisco focuses on solving technological business problems and develops and sells hardware, software, and technology solutions.
- Headquarters: San Jose, California
- Career Opportunities: Cisco is looking for finance analysts, engineers, sales managers, interns, and more.
- Support for DACA: Chuck Robbins, Chairman and CEO of Cisco, wrote an article titled “Solving the DACA Challenge” for Business Roundtable.
Facebook is one of the largest social media companies in the world. It also owns Instagram and WhatsApp.
- Headquarters: Menlo Park, California
- Career Opportunities: As of August 2021, Facebook had over 3,000 job openings. Available positions include client solutions manager, agency solutions partner, and software engineering manager.
- Support for DACA: In January 2018, CNBC reported that “Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Asks Followers to Call Congress to Solve Immigration Reform.”
Amazon
Amazon started as an online bookseller and now focuses on e-commerce, cloud computing, and digital streaming services.
- Headquarters: Seattle, Washington
- Career Opportunities: Amazon currently has openings in administrative support, design, business and merchant development, business intelligence, and database administration.
- Support for DACA: Fox News reported that many tech giants, including Amazon, supported the Supreme Court’s 2020 DACA ruling.
Microsoft
Microsoft is a software company that created the Windows operating system.
- Headquarters: Redmond, Washington
- Career Opportunities: As of August 2021, Microsoft had over 9,000 job openings, including positions like senior program manager, software engineer, and support engineer.
- Support for DACA: On November 8, 2019, Brad Smith, President of Microsoft, published a blog post titled “Standing Up for Every Dreamer,” in which he stated that over five dozen Microsoft employees are DACA recipients.
Known as the most popular search engine on the internet, Google also owns several other services, including FitBit, YouTube, Gmail, Chrome, and Android.
- Headquarters: Mountain View, California
- Career Opportunities: As of August 2021, Google had over 2,000 open roles in its engineering, sales, design, and other departments.
- Support for DACA: On January 13, 2021, Google published a post titled “Our Continuing Support for Dreamers” on its blog, The Keyword.
Apple
Apple is a technology company known for creating the iPhone and MacBook laptops.
- Headquarters: Cupertino, California
- Career Opportunities: As of August 2021, Apple had over 600 job openings listed on its website, including positions in operations, design, marketing, sales, retail, and more.
- Support for DACA: On July 11, 2020, CNN Business published an article titled, “Businesses Including Apple and General Motors ask Trump to Keep DACA in Place.”
Adobe
Adobe creates software for creative professionals. Its products include Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Premiere Pro.
- Headquarters: San Jose, California
- Career Opportunities: Adobe had over 1,300 job openings, as of August 2021, including positions like analytics technical support consultant, senior software development engineer, and senior product manager.
- Support for DACA: On June 18, 2020, Adobe published a blog post titled “Celebrating the U.S. Supreme Court’s Decision Protecting Dreamers.”
Career Resources for DACA College Graduates
There are many resources that can help Dreamers navigate the DACA renewal process, get help with legal fees, locate scholarships, and land jobs. Check out these five resources for Dreamers who need career help.
TheDream.Us
TheDream.Us offers legal and educational resources, general guides, and even mobile apps to help Dreamers find programs, scholarships, and local support. Dreamers can find information about renewing their DACA status and getting immigration loans.
National Immigration Law Center
NILC answers frequently asked questions about DACA and employment, such as “How do I know when my work permit expires?” Dreamers with questions about their work permits may find this page useful.
Getting Experience
This page — hosted by Eastern Washington University’s career center — provides suggestions for how students can gain experience to become qualified for the jobs they want. The site provides information for DACA recipients and undocumented workers who want to gain work experience but aren’t legally permitted to work.
DREAMer Jobs
This Facebook group features job postings for DACA recipients. Members can post requests describing the types of jobs they’re looking for and share openings they know of.
Immigrants Rising
This site offers resources to help Dreamers start their own businesses. DACA recipients can find information about entrepreneurship, business plans, worker cooperatives, and financing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Employers That Support Dreamers
You need to complete Form I-821D to apply for DACA. You also need proof of your identity, proof that you arrived in the U.S. before your 16th birthday, proof of your immigration status, proof that you were in the U.S. on June 15, 2012, proof that you’ve lived here continuously since June 15, 2007, and proof of your student status. You may also need proof that you were honorably discharged from the U.S. Coast Guard or armed forces, if applicable.
Employers can verify an applicant’s educational background by contacting the school they attended. To prove you are eligible for employment, you can show the employer your work permit. This ID card has your picture on it, along with your name and other information, such as the date that your work permit expires.
Editor’s Note: This article contains general information and is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a professional advisor before making decisions about legal issues.