AFRICA
Dreamers are Having a Nightmare
Here we are again, talking about immigration. It seems as though throughout all of Donald Trump’s presidency, this has been an unresolved and recurring, problematic debate that just does not appear to be gaining any momentum. March 5th marked the deadline, implemented by Trump himself, for the solution of the disputed DACA bill to be finalized and released.
It is March 6th.
This bill would be signed and finalized if it weren’t for Trump’s unwillingness during the negotiation. A bipartisan bill was proposed, in which Trump turned away quickly because it did not adhere to his conditions entirely. It did not include his 3 conditions: that he gets $25 billion for a border wall “trust fund,” a drastic reduction of family migration and an end to the visa lottery system, the White House said Thursday.
Trump, who refused any negotiation and exclaimed that he will not ask for any less than what he requested, blames the passing of the deadline on Democrats. The Democrats have stated that their only, condition is to pass a bill that does include permanent protections for the Dreamers. That is it. Nonetheless, Trump stuck to his requirements, and Republicans also agree with his view on chain/ family migration.
This interruption in the finalizing of the bipartisan bill led to a delay in the process. Now, with all political attention being waned toward gun control and safety, the process has been even more postponed.
Currently, over 800,000 undocumented immigrants are stuck in this state of uncertainty and indecisiveness. They don’t know whether to feel hope for their future here or prepare for the worst.
It just doesn’t seem fair. People who have been here longer than natural-born citizens are to be kicked out of their home. They have grown up here, played here, learned here, fell in love here, worked here. They have contributed to our society greatly, if not even more than most.
A hardworking, involved and dedicated student at Claremont McKenna College has a few words to say about this. She spoke of her status as a Latina immigrant and first-generation student, and the assumptions that people make on her and those she loves. “Using illegal to describe an immigrant is a disgusting word and dehumanizes people that actually do contribute to our society. I’ll have you know that undocumented immigrants pay $13 billion in payroll taxes every single year. They are not a burden to our economy, in Florida, undocumented immigrants contributed $588 million annually in state and local taxes. Florida, a state that is not even considered a sanctuary state,” claimed Jennifer Callao ’21.
This bill, in turn, would affect her. It would affect her family. It would affect her friends.
Callao’s words speak volume, for many people do presume a great deal regarding those who immigrate from other countries. The fact of the matter is, the US is made up of immigrants. Kicking them is throwing out our own. They make up our country and are just as American as anyone else.
It boggles my mind that there are people out there trying to get rid of our own. Statistics show that a majority of Americans are actually in favor of granting DACA recipients permanent status, but the same can be said for stricter gun laws, and that is still an ongoing issue. Why is that?
Either way, DACA, once a passageway for young kids and students, called Dreamers, to gain the opportunity to come to America and gain a proper education, is now a sort of…nightmare… for them. How ironic.
Featured Image via Flickr/mollyktadams