"Are you a Dreamer?"- a question that I had never been asked before; a question I perfectly knew the answer to, yet somehow those four simple words prompted me to consider a series of questions I had never really given much thought to before. How many more people looked at me and took the color of my skin and my ethnicity as indicators that I was "different"?
That I simply "didn't belong" here?
Growing up, people always questioned my origins. "Are you Mexican?" some would ask (as if Mexico was the only country where people spoke Spanish). "No, no, actually you must be Cuban." And while these assumptions, as enervating as they were, dictated how the rest of the conversation would pan out I had gotten used to them because of how conventional they were.
Everyone always asks, "where are your parents from?" despite the color of one's skin because the answers, for the most part, are always intriguing. However, the question I had been asked that Sunday was different. It disturbed me, angered me, and in many ways, shook me to my core because not once in my 18 years of living had someone questioned my legality.
There are many reasons why I could have been asked that question, one simply being out of curiosity and two, given my physical appearance I somehow fit the bill of someone who has immigrated to the U.S. Depending on your political views, the question may not seem to be a big deal, but the truth of the matter is that it is.
There are only two possible answers, and for the approximately 3.6 million Dreamers that do reside in the U.S., the answer "yes" has shaped their lives. It has placed limitations on their academic careers and the jobs they wish to hold but more importantly has placed them at the center of a never-ending political feud between the left and the right.
They have been the subject of hate and sympathy, denial and acceptance, a constant shift from one extreme to the other. Being labeled a dreamer is so much more than politics, there are mental and emotional implications that come upon receiving this label and for obvious reasons.
Keeping these implications in mind, I strongly believe that asking someone whether they're a Dreamer or not, whether it be out of mere curiosity or with intent to offend them, is something that should be off limits. The reason for this is because in many ways the answer prompts a different kind of "coming out", one that many actual Dreamers may not be ready to do.
Many have lived in the shadows and continue to out of fear that oversharing might put the stability of their family at risk or that their response could influence how others treat them. Additionally, in light of recent events, the future of DACA and Dreamers has been put at a stand-still further deepening the incertitude of the future of many DACA recipients.
The discussion of legality is always a tricky issue but more importantly in this day and age, it has reinforced the idea of not belonging. It has taken a while to fully process and attempt to articulate the impact such a question has had on how I continue to carry myself moving forward, however, as I write this article there are a couple of things I have taken away from this interaction.
First and foremost, I ask that you (yes, you reading this article) never question someone's legality. Why? Simply because it should not concern you. A person's immigration status should not define their ability to continue pursuing an education, despite the obstacles this current administration continues to create, nor should it impact how you treat them.
Legal or undocumented, the fact that they are able to study alongside you should be a testament as to how driven they are in achieving their long-term goals. Second, do not make assumptions about someone's immigration status. As stated before, given the political climate the topic of immigration has become a touchy subject.
You never know who you will encounter nor will you know what they are going through given their own status or a family members status.
Lastly, inform yourself and maybe even learn to be a potential ally. Dreamers and relatives of undocumented immigrants currently find themselves engaged in an unprecedented battle given Trump's stance on immigrants and while many immigration coalitions along with organizations such as the ACLU are trying their best to fight for their rights, monumental change will not be possible unless support from those who are fortunate enough to enjoy the benefits of being a "citizen" act and fight with us.
Don't ask. Just learn and support.
