Dreams Deferred
Oct. 12, 2017
President Trump recently announced plans to repeal the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which was initiated under the Obama administration. DACA protects teens and adults from deportation, for those who were brought to the United States without authorization as children.
“I was born in Mexico, I immigrated here, so that DACA student could have been me. I think about that all the time. I have the privilege to get an education and to pursue my dreams. While others aren’t able to that, that’s really sad to think about.”
Faris immigrated here from Mexico when she was five, and was an undocumented resident until around her 13th birthday.
The repeal has been delayed 6 months, which gives Congress time to work out a solution. While the federal government will not issue any new DACA approvals during this time, they will allow some to renew.
Any permits that expire between Sept. 5 and March 5 will be allowed to apply for a renewal by Oct. 5.
Although this allows an opportunity for some Dreamers to extended their residency, Faris feels the decision to repeal DACA sends a strong message to Latino residents.
“90% of the students we serve identify as Latino/Latina. Although they are not directly impacted [as citizens or residents] maybe a lot of their cousins or family members are,” said Faris. “It’s very racist and very targeted at populations who already don’t feel welcomed here.”
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel recently declared Chicago a “Trump free city,” claiming he would not enforce action against dreamers.
“I feel like that should be everywhere, more people educated on the subject, especially people that have the power to do something aka the residents and citizens of this country that are the voice of the people that don’t [have a voice],” Faris said. “I immigrated here, so that it could have affected me and I reflect on that possibility all the time. Although I was lucky enough to get a residency status here, I could have easily not.” Faris spent her first 8 years in the US as an illegal resident, something she never really thought about as a child.
“It wasn’t until I started thinking about school until it was very evident who did have papers and who didn’t.”
Around this time Faris had a close friend drop out in the 8th grade because “why would I continue to get an education knowing I cannot further it.” That friend went on to get a factory a job, the type of job she and Faris agreed at one time they wouldn’t take.
There are currently approximately 800,000 active DACA permits, belonging to teachers, business owners, and students. Law abiding citizens who are a risk of being deported to a country they have never known, with no resources. Those in most peril would be the minors who have not yet received degrees, who would find themselves in a foreign country with no hirable skills.
“If it comes to deportation, yes it will affect hurt the economy in a very big way,” Faris said. “I come with the hope that things will get better, and this is just a temporary obstacle.”