A DACA Update

Four months ago, President Donald Trump ordered the termination of DACA, an Obama-era program, “when possible.” The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals aims to protect immigrants who came to America at a young age against deportation. In addition to providing a haven for residence, DACA supplies the targeted individuals, referred to as Dreamers, with the opportunity to work through the provision of work permits. The repeal of this program has came to the attention of mass media. Trump has justified his recent decision with his expected persona and anti-illegal immigration sentiments. Trump has deemed DACA an “illegal amnesty.” As 2017 came to a conclusion, an influx of marches and a variety of opinions in regards to the controversy surfaced. According to recent polls, approximately 85% of people in the U.S. support the DACA program.  This number demonstrates the will of the people and makes the controversy in Washington more interesting. Those that are advocates for DACA argue that the 800,000 Dreamers enlisted in the program have had no choice but to come to this country. These Dreamers are usually brought by a parent or guardian. They further support their case by adding that these individuals have built a life here for many years and deserve the chance to advance their education, become specialized in the workforce, and obtain rights that the average American citizen is able to. The opposing standpoint of the issue is supported with another set of reasoning. These Americans believe that those who entered,  no matter the circumstance, should not be rewarded as they did not undergo the legal pathway to residence. Those who believe this, along with our president, are hoping that the government will favor the hard work of those who legally entered this country with the right intentions. As of now, Dreamers are not under direct fire until a final decision is made regarding the matter.

Approximately two weeks ago, Trump proposed a path to citizenship that would include provisions that would give Dreamers some of the demands that they want while also including provisions that support the morals he believes in. After being slowly rejected by the public and his advisors, it is clear that this is not a plan that will be implemented in the future. Ever since, the public has been seeing a variety of proposals that include demands from both sides of the playing field: from members of Congress to masterminds in the business world. As of now, no decision is final and Dreamers will maintain their rights. In the situation that no deal is reached by any branch of government, DACA dreamers will be placed into a state of high risk. If not arrested immediately, they will lose a multitude of rights. Deportation will be a reality for these individuals in this instance. As for now, the fate of these Dreamers is unknown until a decision has been reached.