A few months ago, Parriva published a series about some Latino students who were or were not protected under DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. All of them had spent years fighting, clinging to false promises, and hoping that their immigration status could finally be resolved.
All of them — not just a few — echoed the feelings of hundreds of thousands of students across the country: neither politicians, nor the organizations that claim to protect immigrants, nor other government bodies resolved their situation after more than ten years. It was always promises, minimal campaigns, press conferences that later evaporated because the political conditions didn’t exist, or because the divide between Republicans and Democrats was too wide to reach an agreement.
“They just want to use us as something cosmetic. To take advantage of us, to have us show up at their events so they can show they’re with us. But that’s not the case — no one has fought for our cause, only for their own interests,” said one of them, whose name and identifying information we will withhold.
Well, after several years, it’s come to an end: the future no longer exists for them. The Trump administration is harassing them just as it harasses all immigrants and minorities in general. Back during his campaign, Trump promised to find a way to legalize their status. “These are young people who were brought here against their will as children — we need to help them,” he said, more or less.
And like him, state and federal legislators said the same. Not to mention some organizations that receive funding supposedly to fight for immigrants. All of them disappeared, withdrew proposals they had previously presented publicly, and now stay silent — many defending their blindness at the moments the community needed them the most.
We know the Latino community is suffering in general. Mentioning DACA is not meant to exclude the suffering of others. In this case, we mention DACA because it seems like many still forget about them. And we dare say, if they disappear or are deported, people will say “we tried, but nothing could be done.”
DACA youth are exceptional students, with high grades and outstanding academic performance. It hurts them to have been ignored, but they continue preparing themselves to contribute to this society in whatever way they can. They are pursuing university, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Last year, even California turned its back on them — it refused to pass legislation that would allow the UC system to employ them on campus.
“At least we should be able to have something,” said one of them.
If politics weren’t so dirty, so full of egos and indifference, these young people would have been legalized years ago, proudly contributing in hospitals, law, businesses, and other areas of society.
Instead, these students live in fear, hoping to survive one more day, praying at night for a miracle to happen and for things to be resolved.
Maybe, when these politicians and organizations prepare their next press conference with DACA recipients in mind, they’ll remember that their initiatives have failed.
As one of them said, “If they haven’t been able to do their job, it’s time for others to take their place.”
