Bernie Del Prado and Caroline Donado
Staff Writers
A replacement for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) has not yet been settled, however the Succeed Act proposed by two GOP senators could provide these 800,000 young immigrants with a solution.
On Sept. 5, the Trump administration had embarked on their task to phase out former president’s, Barack Obama, immigration policy, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, also known as DACA, was issued as an executive order by Barack Obama in 2012. Under this executive order, it permitted children brought in to the United States with their parents or other guardians to have a legal residency. The policy protects these individuals from immediate deportation, but is only authorized for minors with no criminal record.
Although this policy has given many advantages for undocumented minors, the Trump administration aims to prioritize the rights and benefits of citizens. Individuals who are against the policy have argued it as unconstitutional, as Congress carries the responsibility to establish immigration laws and to determine legal status of immigrants. In addition, the policy has limited job opportunities for U.S. citizens, as people under this immigration law have taken away possible paychecks for citizens. On the other side, people have argued that many families under DACA fled their country due to dangerous circumstances and should not be deprived from living anew in the United States. Moreover, in many cases, children under DACA have lived most of their lives in the United States and have a minimal sense of their culture or knowledge of their mother-tongue.
“Right now, I feel like I’m a 5-year-old again, a lost child who needs someone to provide her with what she needs,” a young immigrant tells The New York Times, “I depend on someone else’s decision.”
Many view the Dreamers as a collective group and neglect to see them as individuals and how they are personally impacted. Nationwide, Dreamers and supporters of DACA have been protesting against the discontinuation of the program. They make the point that immigrants make America stronger and that they are hard-working individuals, not criminals.
Tennessee’s attorney general tells USA Today, “Many of the DACA recipients, some of whose records I reviewed, have outstanding accomplishments and laudable ambitions, which if achieved, will be of great benefit and service to our country."
If deported, the US would be deprived of 800,000 potential workers. Though the odds are stacked against them, Dreamers are not prepared to back down and will fight for the right to stay in the country they love. One Dreamer proclaimed to USA Today, “No matter what happens today or tomorrow or the next day, we continue to fight for our people.”
As for the future of DACA, GOP senators James Lankford and Thom Tillis revealed a new bill, the Succeed Act, concerning the program on Sept. 25 which could provide an alternate solution. This bill will give Dreamers who are already part of DACA a path to citizenship, however it will be merit-based and those prioritized will be the Dreamers with the most work experience and education. The senator states that the applicants will undergo “extreme vetting” and will be required to go through three rounds of extensive background checks every five years. After the first phase, the individual can achieve a conditional resident status in which they must have a job, serve in the military, or earn a college degree to keep. Once they pass the second, the applicants can renew their residency and a obtain a green card. One can apply for citizenship after the third period, adding up to a total of 15 years to go through the process.
Senator Tillis states, "If you work hard, follow the law and pay your taxes, you can stay here permanently."
Whether the bill will pass, that will be up to Congress and Donald Trump to decide.
