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Apple and other tech companies file amicus brief supporting DACA

Apple logo on building

Apple and other companies have signed a new amicus brief supporting the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, pushing back against states who are challenging the measure.

The brief signals the companies' support for DACA, which shields undocumented people brought to the U.S. as children from deportation. It was filed in an appellate case before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday.

"DACA recipients have helped to drive and sustain the American economy by filling crucial labor shortages, creating new businesses, spending their incomes on American products and services, and paying taxes," wrote the companies.

DACA recipients have played a particularly important role as front-line workers responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, as the American economy recovers from the pandemic, which continues to jeopardize economic growth in unpredictable ways— including a shortage of workers to fill millions of vacant jobs— the contributions of Dreamers are more important than ever.

More specifically, the White House is appealing a U.S. District Court ruling that decided DACA was unconstitutional. If the appeals court upholds that ruling, the Biden administration would be forced to end DACA.

The amicus brief explains that getting rid of DACA could "inflict serious harm on U.S. companies, workers, and the American economy as a whole." It adds that 1,700 people would lose their jobs each day because their DACA status would expire.

"Companies will lose valued employees, workers will lose employers and colleagues, and our national GDP will contract by up to $460 billion," the brief reads.

In addition to Apple, other companies named on the brief include Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Intel, Block, Best Buy, and Cisco.

This is not the first time that Apple has publicly voiced support for DACA. Back in 2019, Apple, CEO Tim Cook, and others jointly filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court defending the preservation of the program.

Back in January 2021, Cook publicly praised President Joe Biden's work to protect DACA. Cook has been an outspoken proponent of the program, and has voiced his opposition of attempts to kill DACA.