In June 2012, the Obama Administration enacted a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. T
his allows certain illegal immigrants who entered the United States as minors to receive a renewable two-year pass from deportation and eligibility for a work permit.
As of 2017, roughly 800,000 people are enrolled in this program. They are often referred to as the DREAMers due to the DREAM Act. This Act would have granted conditional residency and eventually permanent residency, if certain conditions are met.
On September 5, 2017, President Trump repealed this. What does this mean?
This means 800,000 young adults, all different ages and all brought to the United States, will now be "eligible" for deportation.
Although Attorney General Jess Sessions has stated this program has "denied jobs to hundreds of thousands of Americans by allowing those same illegal aliens to take those jobs", that is far from the truth.
These young adults have been in the United States for roughly their whole lives. They go to school, they graduate with honors and they're employed.
They're just as valuable as the next person.
According to NPR, there is no evidence of DREAMers "taking jobs away from Americans," The recipients are well-educated by the American public school system, and they are productive.
In fact, 17% of DREAMers are pursuing an advanced college degree.
According to a professor of economics at the University of California, Giovanni Peri, "The skills and productivity that they brought to the economy wouldn't be here."
Now, all we can do is wait, for six months, to find out what Congress is planning on doing with these young adults. To find out what Congress is going to do to these immigrants.
What I know is, congress is being hypocritical considering who built this country. That's none of my business, though.
If you feel strongly about this like I do, tweet at members of Congress. Tell them why you're angry. Use your voice.
Call members of Congress. Call your local Representative. Defend DACA if you can.
I'm not saying go and start a riot. Peaceful protests are perfectly fine. Letters, emails, calls, texts all work. Express your Constitutional voice.
We are Americans, Land of the Free. This land is my land, this land is your land. This land was made for you and me.
