AMERICAS

Trump, DACA, and the Wall

There won’t be more Dreamers, if the Wall between Mexico and USA is not built

Trump, DACA, and the Wall

On Friday December 29th, Trump has once again put on edge the future of nearly 800,000 Dreamers. He announced on Twitter that there will be no more DACA if Congress does not agree to substantial funding of the wall between the U.S and Mexico.

Trump stated “the Democrats have been told, and fully understand, that there can be no DACA without the desperately needed WALL at the Southern Border and an END to the horrible Chain Migration & Ridiculous Lottery system of Immigration etc. We must protect our Country at all cost!”

 

Six months ago, Sessions announced Trump’s Decision to end DACA, also known as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. DACA was established by the Obama administration in June of 2012. It gave the opportunity for any student who had arrived to the U.S as a child to recieve a work permit. Children had to have arrive to the U.S before reaching their 16th birthday. In order to recieve the permission, these former children had to be under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012, and they had to met specific guidelines that proved they were in good standing as a citizen and as a student.

 

These good standings included: to have entered U.S. without inspection; being currently in school/have their GED; being honorably discharged Veterans of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States; to have not been convicted of a felony and do not pose a threat to national security.

 

The child must also provide all their personal information to the government including how they crossed illegally and why, if applicable. Many of these DACA students, also known as Dreamers, went on to higher education, reached some of their many goals, broke that vicious familial cycle of no education, and have started a career and a family.  Trump allowed Congress 6 months to act and save the Dreamers from peril. 

 

During the course of these 6 months, lobbying and meetings have occurred to discuss prospective DACA deals. One deal that was presented by leadership, including House speaker Paul Ryan, and that is very similar to Trump’s ultimatum, required Congress to fund the wall in exchange for Amnesty for the Dreamers.

 

This deal was quickly rejected. Then, later in September, a second deal was presented by Republican Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. The proposal stated to exchange beefing up border security in interchange for Amnesty for the Dreamers. However, it later fell through, as Trump stated he wanted more than just beefing up the border.

 

Before Trump’s statement Dcember 29th 2017, according to a USA Today survey and a Morning Consult poll, less than 25% of Republicans agree with substantial funding for the wall, and 69% of Republicans, on top of Democrats, agree on allowing Dreamers to stay in the U.S.

 

This may change though, as Jan 3rd comes up and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D- N.Y.) meet with House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to avert a government shutdown and discuss the fate of nearly 800,000 Dreamers.

 

For now, the Dreamers have no option but to await their fate, and to hope they are not part of collateral damage.

 

LatinAmerican Post | Maria Valdez

Copy edited by Marcela Peñaloza

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