Under the recent decision of the Trump administration, the program referred to as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) has an unforeseeable future, along with the 800,000 undocumented residents who were previously protected under the program first created by the Obama Administration.
On Sept. 5, President Trump announced the end of the DACA program, if Congress fails to provide a more permanent solution within a six month time period. This decision has rocked many, including the individuals who now fear deportation after the removal of the program.
Those under the DACA program did come through illegally, but through no choice of their own. A DACA recipient who wished to remain anonymous, discussed multiple misconceptions within the swarming opinions. While many place the blame and point a finger at these individuals, the anonymous Witt student stated that it is merely a misconception and blurred perspective that these residents are not entitled to basic rights. Many believe that because of the actions of those who brought these children into America, that the children should hold the consequences, even if they were given no choice to begin with.
In fact, children who were brought to the U.S. are not offered a path to citizenship because of the way they came over. These children were raised in America without any backing of where they were originally born. There is no “back” for them to go to, as the only place they know as home is within our community. The student stated that this lifestyle, referring to American culture, is everything to them. DACA has provided them the opportunity to make their families proud, to have a future and to have the success that every other child dreams of.
As DACA recipients, these children are not eligible for governmental benefits of any kind and are required to go through a rigorous background check each time they are renewed into the program, which is every two years. They are required to pay taxes and work diligently for anything they acquire. They pay into the community, their tax dollars paying for schools, roads and even into the social security fund.
“We do not mooch and we never have,” Alex said. “We are quite literally working hard for every single thing that we have.”
As Alex discussed these common misconceptions about DACA, he spoke about things that he wished the public would know.
“We are just kids; we are not any different than any legal child,” Alex said. “We speak a little different and look a like different, but what subculture doesn’t? It is the mere belief of others that view me as having less potential and self-worth. We, as DACA recipients, don’t like feeling different. We’re here, we’re productive and we want to feel the same.”
Wittenberg President, Michael L. Frandsen, has provided the following statement on the issue:”Wittenberg stands with all our students who are directly or indirectly affected by this decision. All students, regardless of their national origin or immigration status, enrich our community of learners, and their presence is an important element in fostering the inclusiveness envisioned by our founder and first president, Ezra Keller.”
