Do We Dare to Dream?

On September 5, the President of the United States of America decided to act on evicting young adults who are and have been a part of the DACA program (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). That would be about 800,000 children living in America who have approximately five months left to live in fear of having to leave the only country they’ve ever known.

“I fully support citizenship or legal status for all 800,000 of them, unless they have committed a felony crime since coming here,” government teacher James Haddox said. “It is morally wrong to require these children and young adults to return to their parents’ country of origin. America is the only country most of them have ever known, only a cruel person would want to deport them.”

People come to America for a better start, for a new life, and for freedom. Now of course, coming into the country illegally isn’t the smartest thing to do; however, waiting over a year to become a U.S. citizen when you need a brighter future for yourself, and perhaps a child, can be devastating.

“They come here for jobs and better pay,” Haddox said. “They want better opportunities for themselves and their families. They dream the American Dream!”    

Parents bring their children to America to give them a better education. For most of the children in the DACA program, they’ve learned the American history, they know how to speak English, write in English, and are learning to live life as an American citizen. Don’t they deserve citizenship?

“My parents work hard everyday but it’s not enough,” sophomore Estephany Maldonado said. “I was looking forward to the DACA program because it’d help my brother and I find jobs and get accepted into college without having to worry about a green card.”

Many families have been, and will continue to be, torn apart because President Trump wants to get rid of the DACA program. President Trump said in a statement that he was driven by a concern for “the millions of Americans victimized by this unfair system.”

“I personally feel dejected and sorry for others struggling with the same situation I’m in,” Maldonado said. “Without the DACA program we can’t work here or go on with our studies, which makes it harder for us to continue school here, because we don’t have the money to pay for it.”

 The only way this system would be considered “unfair” is by the 63.2 percent employed Americans, versus the 17 percent employed illegal immigrants. People hire illegal immigrants because they’re willing to do the jobs no one else will, since they get paid less. On average they make $18,000-$25,000 yearly.

“As I’ve said before, we will resolve the DACA issue with heart and compassion – but through the lawful Democratic process – while at the same time ensuring that any immigration reform we adopt provides enduring benefits for the American citizens we were elected to serve,” President Donald Trump said on a CNN interview. “We must also have heart and compassion for unemployed, struggling and forgotten Americans.”

America is the land of opportunity, and for an immigrant to be denied his opportunity of making a new life is kind of going against what America stands for.