I have always been proud to talk about my Hispanic heritage and the struggles that my parents faced when they made the courageous decision to move to the United States. They left everything they had ever known behind in our country, Uruguay, and decided that making the 5,439 mile journey was worth it in order to give me a better life.
While I was a toddler at the time, I somehow understood that the adventure we were embarking on was a really big deal. I remember saying goodbye to my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, my cousins. Everybody was crying and I didn't really understand why. Now, at the age of 18, the sacrifice that my parents made has affected my whole life. Due to their bravery, I grew up in safe neighborhoods, went to excellent schools, and now I am studying at a top tier university with a full scholarship. None of this would've been possible without my parents.
The media and politics of today are bent on portraying immigrants, especially undocumented ones, as job-stealing cheaters who ignored the system in order to gain benefits for themselves. Why so much hatred? Most of the people who immigrated here did so out of great necessity in order to escape economic instability, corrupt governments and crime-ridden cities. They have children whose futures seemed more important to them than the backlash of closed-minded politicians.
Of course, there are weeds in every field. There are criminals in every ethnic group in the United States. Does this mean that every person that shares a characteristic with that one group of people, whether it's skin color, religion, ethnicity, or country of origin, is also committing the same atrocities they are? Today's society has several built-in prejudices that we must fight to overcome. Instead of being a united country, we are torn apart by judgement and prejudice.
Children of undocumented immigrants are feeling the sting of these injustices more severely than most. Many of them face the constant fear that one day, their family may be torn apart by deportation. Have you ever had to worry that you might not see your parents at the end of the day when you came home from school? Have you ever had a moment of blinding panic when you see a police car pass you on the road? Have you ever had to deal with impertinent questions such as "Where's your green card?" when your peers find out you weren't born in the U.S.?
These children struggle with these fears in their daily lives. They must live in a constant state of limbo, not knowing what will happen the next day. Their educational opportunities are limited by their status as well. Since 2010, the state of Georgia has banned undocumented students from its public universities. Students are also deprived of opportunities such as internships, employment options, and study abroad trips that could further their education due to their lack of employment authorization and the ability to safely exit and re-enter the country.
Various legislative attempts have been made towards finding a solution to the strife that the undocumented youth are subjected to. The DREAM Act, a bill offering undocumented students a chance at achieving residency in the United States, has been shot down several times and failed to pass. In order to aid these DREAMers in some way, the Obama administration implemented DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). This immigration policy allows undocumented immigrants who meet certain requirements the ability to have a renewable two-year deferral of deportation as well as eligibility for a work permit.
This policy was a great victory for the DREAMers who had been hiding in fear for so many years. However, it was not a permanent solution to their situation. Now, there is a strong fear that under the new Trump administration, DACA may be rescinded. This would leave many undocumented students without the ability to continue their studies or their careers. A bipartisan bill known as the BRIDGE Act has been proposed in order to protect these young men and women. This piece of legislation states that if the Trump administration does choose to overturn DACA, immigrants who have been approved for DACA may be protected for an additional three years during which they still have the benefits given to them by DACA. In turn, this will give Congress three years in which to figure out a more permanent solution for them.
In the wake of our changing government and uncertain future, I call upon the undocumented immigrants living in the shadows and the DREAMers hoping for a better future. I would like the opportunity to share your stories with the world. Anonymity is no longer the answer. We must stand up and fight for our rights as one. I believe that an individual can make a significant change if they put their heart on the line. Imagine the kind of change we could make if we banded together.
This is your country. Many of us have spent countless hours at work and at school, fighting for a better future for ourselves and our families. America is the birthplace of opportunity and the American Dream, built from the ground up by immigrants from all walks of life. We are the melting pot and we should continue to honor the legacy of our founding fathers. Kicking every undocumented immigrant is not the answer, not when most of them belong to hard-working and honorable families who are just trying to pave their own road to success.
Before we can make a difference, we must take the first step. If you would like a safe place to share your story, contact me at wearetheDREAMersUS@gmail.com. Let's show the world how mighty we are.
