Don’t Steal My Dreams

by with No Comment FeaturedPolitics

A few nights ago I had a conversation with a family whose history is as complex and colorful as many of ours. Their parents came to this country with nothing to their names and built a life that allowed their children to achieve more than their parents could ever imagine. So as I sat in their lovely living room drinking a glass of wine discussing my own history and learning about theirs, the topic of DACA came up, most specifically, the decision that was made by the Supreme court on June 18th, 2020.

Before diving into the decision that was made on June 18th, let us understand how did this program become a focal point of divide between the Democrats and Republicans, and what exactly is DACA and who are the Dreamers.

When did this battle for the dreamers take place

On September 5, 2017, President Trump ordered an end to the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This program protected a percentage of young undocumented immigrants —who usually arrived at a very young age in situations and circumstances beyond their control—from deportation. Going back even further, In 2012, President Obama issued the DACA executive order after the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act failed to pass in Congress continually. The young people impacted by DACA and the DREAM Act are often referred to as “Dreamers.”

In making the announcement, the then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions proclaimed that the Trump administration was ending the DACA program. This decision meant that over a period of time, 800,000 young adults brought to the U.S. as children who qualified for the program, would become eligible for deportation and lose access to education and work visas. 

Attorney General Jeff Sessions argued that “the executive branch, through DACA, deliberately pursued to achieve what the legislative branch specifically refused to authorize on multiple occasions. His logic stated that such an open-ended circumvention of immigration laws was an unconstitutional exercise of authority by the Executive Branch.”

After the Trump administration ordered an end to DACA in 2017, a large number of lawsuits were filed against the termination of DACA. At this time, two federal appellate courts ruled against the administration, allowing previous DACA recipients to renew their deferred action, and the Supreme Court agreed to review the legal challenges.

What is DACA and who are the Dreamers?

DACA or Deferred Action on Child Arrivals is a program that allows young people who may have been born here by illegal parents or came here to the United States under illegal means to remain here and grow up as Americans without the fear of being sent back to a country they hold no allegiance to. These are individuals who have grown up American, speak English, and have no memory of any other place besides the United States. 

Many of these individuals do not even know they were unauthorized immigrants until they were teenagers… Usually when they cannot get a driver’s license or receive financial aid because they do not have Social Security numbers. The dream act is meant to provide these individuals with a pathway to U.S. citizenship who are or wish to go to college or the military and have a clean record. 

Just to be clear, the program is by no stretch of the imagination easy to get into or to be accepted. DACA enables certain people who came to the U.S. as children and are successful in meeting several key guidelines to request consideration for deferred action. It allows non-U.S. citizens who qualify to remain in the country for two years, which is then subject to renewal. When accepted, recipients are eligible for work authorization and other benefits and are shielded from deportation. The fee to request DACA is $495 every two years.

What happened on June 18th, 2020?

On June 18, 2020, the Supreme Court blocked Trump’s administration’s attempt to end DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) in a 5-4 ruling. The ruling stabilizes the program and allows DACA recipients to renew membership, which offers them work authorization and temporary protection from deportation. Unfortunately, the ruling creates the possibility that the Administration could still remove DACA in the future if they provide a more comprehensive justification.

Statistics on DACA as it stands

  • Since its inception, DACA has approved 787,580 individuals for its program
  • 91% of DACA recipients are employed
  • The average hourly wage for a DACA recipient is $17.46
  • 45% of DACA recipients are currently enrolled in school
  • 72% of those recipients who are enrolled in school are currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree. 
  • The average age of a DACA recipient is 24 years old

In conclusion

For a recipient who is a dreamer, all they have ever known is what surrounds them in this country. They are American through and through, and their allegiance lies in the very environment that has raised them and cultivated their mindsets and characteristics. 

Isn’t that what this nation was founded on? A place where you can leave the old paradigms behind and reinvent yourself? To follow what gives you purpose, what makes you successful, safe, and happy? At the end of it all, isn’t that exactly what we all are trying to pursue? Purpose and contentment? Why can’t we provide those liberties to all and not just a select group of the privileged? 

The moment we start to believe that our freedom and right to pursue our dreams is unique to only a select few is the day we stop being American.

Similar Read: [2017 In Review] Reactionary Policy Kills Dreams (DACA)

Schumer Takes One for the Country

by with No Comment Uncategorized

He almost lasted a whole year. President Trump’s first government shutdown comes even with the Republicans holding all the cards.

Chuck Schumer had the upper hand in this shutdown but was forced to give in by agreeing to support a deal to keep the federal government open until Feb. 8, leaving immigrants who came to the U.S. at a young age in political chaos.

Last week, Senate Democrats were holding their ground for full protection for the Dreamers but settled for an ambiguous promise to discuss the crisis. Even if the Senate does debate a bill in the next month or so to protect the Dreamers, there will be little to hold Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to his promise to schedule a vote. What makes this situation even more taxing, is if there is a vote and it ends in their favor, there is little-to-no guarantee Trump will sign it.

Schumer held a lot of power in this situation. He had the president and the GOP majorities in Congress cornered with the pressures that was built up to protect the Dreamers thanks to the public outcry for more options, but let it slip away.

Had Schumer waited for a few days, Republicans might have folded and bowed to the public pressure to keep the government open and protect the Dreamers. But now, we won’t ever know if the Republicans would have learned an important lesson in humility.

In the next few weeks we will learn how much the American people who are more liberal-minded, and the dreamers who are holding on by a thread, will have to pay to keep things somewhat balanced.

If we can even call it that anymore.

Training for the Government Shutdown

by with No Comment News

“Let’s be clear, the government shutdown could have been avoided. For a federal shutdown is not about lack of funding, but literally because of political agenda indifferences, congress has decided to place an “out for lunch” sign on the federal government.”

In Training Day, Alonzo asks Jake “you want to go jail, or do you want to go to home?” to pressure him into looking past the criminal actions of his scandalous drug unit, for the betterment of his own career and the actions his unit committed against a drug dealer. So, no love lost. The “go to jail” part, would be Alonzo and his unit framing Jake for the outright murder they committed on the drug dealer. Jake, had the initial inclination to report that the murder was unwarranted. The “go home” Part, would be a recommendation from Alonzo to advance Jake’s career in the future and Jake could get Alonzo another day. Jake decided to “go home”, movie-wise not really, but you get the point. He waited to go after Alonzo on another day.

So how does that relate to the government shutdown? The principals involved.

Trump and the Democrats in Congress have used their push of personal political interests to allow spending for nonessential federal services to stop. Pathetic.  The Democrats for months have been working with Trump and the Republicans in Congress to resolve issues surrounding DACA. DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival) and immigration as a whole was one of the core issues that propelled Trump to the presidency. Trump has insisted issues such as funding for the wall be a part of any immigration deal; the Democrats essentially told Trump to kick rocks, which led to an impasse on the issue and the subsequent government shutdown. The shutdown, which has nothing to do with immigration or any political issues for that matter, has been used to prove a point.

In Training Day, Alonzo and his crooked clan of cops shot and killed a drug dealer in his home to steal thousands he had underneath the floor. Alonzo needed that money to pay off a Russian mob debt he accumulated in Las Vegas. Given this is an election year, Trump must pander to his following and stay true to his wall claim and about being tough on immigration. The Democrats must pander to their following and fight on behalf of those who fall under the guidelines of DACA. And like Alonzo they took benefits and money away from the American people, by shutting down the government, for the betterment of their own agendas.

I told you I could relate the government shutdown to Training Day!

So, who is going home and who is going to jail? Trick question. For both the Democrats and Trump have realized how bad it looked for them to stop the operation of the government for their personal gain. They both don’t want to go jail, which would be political backlash, and both have decided to go home and fight this another day.

In the movie Training Day, Jake went through a lot to eventually get Alonzo, but eventually he went down. The Democrats allegedly pulled all the stops to try and satisfy Alonzo, I mean Trump, including adding funding for the wall on the Mexican border. The DACA issue is important, however the Democrats should not put themselves in the position of using political issues against the primary duty of their job, running the government. A lack of duty that will not be forgotten at the polls. In Training day Jake eventually brought Alonzo down, a combination of his intervention and Alonzo’s crooked history brought his demise.  Trump’s continual doubling down on his outlandish ideals and agenda, which are highly unpopular outside his base, should hurt Republicans in November. The Democrats just have to construct a feasible plan for their agenda, go home, and watch Trump go to jail. At this rate not just figuratively, but possibly literally.

[2017 In Review] Reactionary Policy Kills Dreams (DACA)

by with One Comment FeaturedPolitics

Congress, which has an approval rating less than 20%, now controls the fate of nearly 800,000 immigrants. Time is running out. Considering this White House and everything that’s going on in the world, it’s easy to forget about this critical issue. A few months ago, one of our contributors wrote a compelling piece regarding illegal immigration and why this President is wrong.

Here’s the original article…

“Just as the DEA’s (Drug Enforcement Agency) work in the “war on drugs” is primarily reactionary, meaning most of their enforcement is done to those who do business after narcotics have entered the United States, illegal immigration enforcement efforts are primarily against the illegal immigrant and not against the structures supporting their illegal immigration.”

To further to my above statement (technically a run-on sentence), drug enforcement stops roughly just 1% of the illegal drugs that enter the United States. Since 1972, the United States via local, state, and federal law enforcement has spent over a trillion dollars ensuring little Johnny doesn’t smoke weed. What do we have to show for it? We have more than 2.6 million people in prison and over half of them are there for drug related “crimes.” That’s more than any other nation, a million more than China. Yes, that China, the one with 1.2 billion people. The one where basic freedoms aren’t allowed and anything and everything will land you in prison; yet, somehow their prison population is one million less. I digress.

Back to illegal immigration.

Remember the classic Denzel Washington movie “Training Day”? It’s classic because it came out 16 years ago – newborn babies who just arrived when it hit the theaters are now driving, yikes! Anyway, there’s a scene in which Denzel is sitting in a restaurant with three judges. One of the judges tells Denzel’s character, Alonzo, about a case in which a man avoided prison because he claimed insanity. His proof was spreading peanut butter between his buttocks, and when hearing about this, Alonzo says, “Well, he earned his freedom.”

So, what does “Training Day” and the war on drugs have to do with President Trump ending DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals)? First, let me explain exactly what DACA is. DACA is an Obama-era program that shields young undocumented immigrants from deportation. The purpose of DACA is to protect eligible immigrant youth from deportation who came to the United States when they were children.

Now, let’s start comparing. First, let me use the “Training Day” reference, and quite frankly, you can find a “Training Day” comparison for anything. When Alonzo said, “he earned his freedom” in reference to getting out of jail, I compare this to children who arrived in the United States via their parents. The children at 9 obviously couldn’t tell their parents, “Naw I ain’t going,” when forced to leave their country for the United States. For that, how can one realistically penalize them? Furthermore, for those children born in the United States, there’s a thing called the Citizen Clause in the 14th Amendment, in which it states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” Even Trump should be able to decipher that one. Constitutionally speaking and common sense wise, the children have earned their right to be United States citizens. No need to join the military, recite the pledge of allegiance backwards, or take a test in which most Americans would fail, to solidify their citizenship.

That takes care of the children, now the parents.

By definition, an illegal immigrant is a foreigner who enters the U.S. without an entry or immigrant visa, especially a person who crosses the border by avoiding inspection or who overstays the period of time allowed as a visitor, tourist, or businessperson. And though many of us as Americans like to think we’re the greatest and most happening; we do have a lot going on for sure, but people aren’t risking it all to come here to just go to Chick-fil-a or watch a ballgame. No. People come here for a very specific reason. Primarily to land work and a chance to better their current situation. It’s as simple as that. They don’t come here to rape and pillage the American landscape.

Just like the DEA’s work in the war on drugs is mostly against dealers and those involved in the drug trade within US borders, enforcement of illegal immigration is mostly against individuals and not the structure or system which enables their efforts prior to illegally entering our country. Efforts against the businesses and entities supporting the lifestyle of one who is illegal aren’t enforced with the same punishment and veracity. Meanwhile, back at your typical Trump rally, the call to round up the owner of Jed’s construction, who employs and pays illegal immigrants, isn’t as loud as it is to remove the workers he employs who made efforts to come to the United States.

In other words, just like the DEA fails to stop the drugs from entering the United States, immigration enforcement fails to truly address the support structures that keep illegal immigration alive and well.

Lastly, I’m one who supports reasonable legal immigration efforts. I understand the need to address illegal immigration; but, unlike President Trump I also understand there needs to be more serious efforts and disdain directed towards the elements behind illegal immigration and not the person simply trying to make a buck… even if it’s only to buy a chicken sandwich.

This article was originally published on 8 September 2017.

More on DACA?

Trump Ends DACA, America’s Top Universities Respond

The Accidental President

by with One Comment FeaturedPolitics

Six months later, amidst NFL tweets and a speech at the UN against Iran and North Korea, which sounded a bit like it was written by a speechwriter from Iran or North Korea, it still doesn’t feel quite like reality.

Even so, and although I’m not even sure it’s part of some brilliant plan anymore, there are two things that may have made this a time for a president that seems completely willing to descend into chaos: DACA and North Korea.  I understand that raises some eyebrows, but hear me out.

Despite what the President said over and over before the election on DACA, and as scary as it is to be on the train right now, I’m not certain he hasn’t done the dreamers a favor.  Press even Chuck Schumer or Dianne Feinstein to explain the legality of President Obama’s DACA program and they are hard pressed.  They know it’s not legal, and they know it’s their own Congress that’s being usurped by executive order.  They’re also extremely uncomfortable with letting the precedent of executive privilege sit with any president- but especially this one.  If these attorney generals took their case to this Supreme Court, defended by this solicitor general, DACA likely would be overturned.  Despite the rhetoric, the six-month delay to give Congress time to fix it (ie- demand they fix it) seems likely to have the votes it would need to clear, and if the President really is willing to sign it (looks very much like he is), this could be a constitutional crisis averted.  President Obama did DACA by executive order because he had to.  If Trump makes this law, it will be one point on the board for America as partial compensation for the pain of watching TV every day.

The other may be North Korea.  Now- I’m not certain that we won’t be engaged in armed conflict – possibly nuclear-armed conflict – with North Korea in the coming two years.  That said, for ten years they have been swearing that they will kill all of us in a sea of fire and building their nuclear arsenal and missile capability while president after president said “don’t do that or else…”  and they keep going, and there’s no “or else” that seems to matter.  It could well be that there was no way for this to end well for the US, that eventually this conflict was coming, and waiting for them to catch up to full nuclear capability would make it worse, not better.  If that’s true, maybe it’s prudent to end this 50-year standoff before the DPRK truly does bring a nuclear ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) system online.  And I’m not sure a traditional, prudent president in the mold of anyone since Eisenhower would have been willing to take the personal risk of a preemptive strike (which is likely to have horrible repercussions in the best of circumstances)- even though that same president may know it’s the most prudent course of action for the World.

I still can’t watch news live.  It hurts. But if in 2 years’ time, DACA is law and the DPRK is no longer a threat to the World, this president will have a legacy that might look better to history than it looks on Twitter.

Trump is NOT a Racist… He’s Worse

by with No Comment Uncategorized

Trump might NOT be a Racist… He could be something worse.

Trump appears to be a megalomaniac who unconditionally supports whatever group or individual who supports him. 

So far, he has targeted the most fanatical and unwavering groups of voters: 

-Pro-Gun

-Anti-Immigrant

-Pro-Religious Freedom

-Anti-LGBTQ

-Pro-Police (Regardless of Brutality)

-Anti-Black Lives Matter

-Pro-Military Expansion

-Anti-Globalism

-Pro-Big Business

-Anti-Government Programs

-Pro-Birth

-Anti-Planned Parenthood

-Anti-Tax the Rich

-Anti-Universal Health Care

He targets these people because he knows that:

1. They will never waver in their support for him, regardless of his egregious mistakes.

2. They are very disciplined voters. 

Only 58% of Americans voted in 2016. That means Trump only needs 29.1% of the country to support him and actually vote. Trump does not care if 70.8% of the country is for or against an issue, so long as his positions line up with the 29.1% of people who will definitely vote for him (his base). 

But to think that Trump is a racist because he supports the Alt-Right or other blatantly racist organizations is a mistake. Trump supports anyone or anything that supports HIM.

If everyone in the Black Lives Matter movement supported Trump and voted for him unconditionally, he’d say (and at least pretend to do) whatever they wanted him to. As it were, Trump does not see this group as obtainable, loyal to him, or worth pursuing so he goes after the lower hanging fruit: the fanatical, simplistic White Nationalists who don’t require much persuading to gain full support (just some coded, “dog whistle” type statements that they hear loud and clear as supporting their cause while everyone else is skeptical of the true meaning).

If Trump knew that he’d be unconditionally backed by:

-Pro-Gun Law Reform

-Pro-Immigrant

-Anti-Religious Infiltration of Public Institutions

-Pro-LGBTQ

-Anti-Police Brutality/Discrimination

-Pro-Black Lives Matter

-Anti-Military Imperialism

-Pro-Globalism

-Anti-Big Business Monopolies/Deregulation

-Pro-Government Programs

-Pro-Planned Parenthood

-Pro-Taxing the Rich

-Pro-Universal Health Care

He’d support THOSE groups instead… (in other words, he’d be Hillary Clinton: another megalomaniac who definitely could have been the subject of this writing had SHE won).

This recent DACA flip-flop is remarkable evidence of Trump’s neglect for any real values and gravitation towards whatever he thinks will make him appear more favorable. Perhaps he doesn’t feel supported by the anti-Dreamers in the GOP as they have not helped him create any meaningful legislation since taking office. Consequently, Trump sees a victory for himself as siding with the Democrats who support DACA because together they might create the first success of his tenure in office (even if he completely trashes a hallmark value of his campaign and Presidency: getting undocumented immigrants out of the country). 

But this is the dangerous thing about power and politics. These men and women don’t necessarily believe in anything. They just want your vote, your money, your supportive social media posts, and your shaming and harassing of the people who oppose them. Maybe integrity, honesty, and consistency should rank above policy when choosing the next leader of our country. 

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Trump Strikes Another Deal with Dems… DACA Protection?

by with No Comment FeaturedPolitics

Surprisingly, or maybe not… Schumer and Pelosi released a joint statement last night suggesting that they struck another deal with President Trump.

“We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that’s acceptable to both sides.” – Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi

This statement is interesting considering Trump’s campaign promise to build the wall. The White House immediately pushed back in a statement saying that they discussed tax reform, border security, and DACA; however, the wall was certainly not agreed to.

Just last week Trump struck a deal with Dems to extend the debt ceiling (for only 3 months) and pass $8 billion in Hurricane Harvey relief. Paul Ryan and other Republicans were caught completely off guard considering they were hoping to push the debt ceiling fight into 2018.

UPDATE: In a series of tweets (9/14/17) Trump denies that a DACA deal was reached… 

Trump denies the DACA deal, but then goes on to sympathize with Dreamers about why they deserve to stay. Whether or not they struck a deal last night, I think it’s safe to say that Trump wants Congress to write a bill that would allow Dreamers to stay.

If this second deal is true, will Trump’s base lose respect for him?

How will House Republicans respond?

Trump used to be a Democrat… should anyone be surprised that he’s striking deals with Dems?

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No Hate, No Walls… Are DREAMers Here to Stay?

by with No Comment FeaturedPolitics

I come from an immigrant family. 

My mother lived in Montreal, Canada before she decided to come to the United States to build a better life for her family. I was one of the lucky ones who had a parent whose situation allowed her to go through the proper channels to come here. She could have easily been a refugee coming from a war-torn nation or a country that had no positive outlook for her and her family. But again, we were lucky and now I have the full rights and liberties as any other citizen of this great nation. It is because of that freedom that I express in absolute rage and disgust of Trumps new plan to scrap DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals).

What is DACA: 

  • DACA is a program that started in June 2012. 
  • It allows young illegal immigrants to register with the federal government and obtain a work permit as well as receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation. 
  • Most of the youth in this program came to the United States when they were babies, and toddlers and did not know they were illegal immigrants until they attempted to apply for a driver’s license or to go to college.
  • The program does not provide lawful status or a path to citizenship, nor does it provide eligibility for federal welfare or student aid.  

 

DACA eligibility: 

  • You cannot have a criminal record, which includes a felony, or misdemeanor. 
  • You must be enrolled in school, have a graduate degree, or be an honorable veteran. 
  • You must arrive in the U.S. before the age of 16. 
  • Be under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012. 

 

To show proof of qualification, all applicants must submit three forms –

  • I-821D: Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
  • I-765: Application for Employment Authorization
  • I-765WS: Worksheet

 

This policy was created after acknowledging that the youth that came here at such tender ages were “low priority” for immigration enforcement to pursue considering their good behavior, which is why the act of terminating it is so ridiculous. Freedom… the ability to choose how to live your life, in the way you wish to live it, free from tyranny, and prosecution, should not be of question for these young people who have done everything required of them.

Earlier this week (9/5/17) I spent most of my evening at the DACA rally in Foley SQ Park, NY trying to understand the sentiment of the people and how they are handling the latest jab to our nation’s identity, and I can proudly say that I was not disappointed.

I saw people from all walks of life holding up signs such as:

  • No Hate, No Fear, Democracy is here
  • F*&^ Trump
  • Immigrants BELONG here
  • Build Bridges NOT WALLS

 

It was amazing to see everyone come together and stand against a common threat to what makes this country great… Immigrants. 

We are all immigrants in the U.S., and watching our leaders fail again and again is the main reason our country is so divided. It isn’t the Republicans versus the Democrats, or Christians against Muslims, or anything else that is being thrown around in the media. It’s a truth that is ingrained in our very history that is being ignored, and that truth is that we all came here to make our lives, and those we care about, better. If we can’t do that, what does it even mean to be an American? 

More on DACA? Trump Ends DACA, America’s Top Universities Respond

Trump Ends DACA, America’s Top Universities Respond

by with One Comment FeaturedPolitics

On Tuesday, September 5th, President Trump ordered the end of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects some 800,000 undocumented young people who were brought to the US illegally. New applications will not be processed and Congress now has 6 months to write a law and “resolve the fate of the Dreamers.”

Trump recently tweeted:

Is this about policy? Or is this just another step to undo Obama’s work and Make America Great Again?

Speaking of Obama, he called the move by Trump “cruel” and “self-defeating.” Several top universities, most notably Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania, immediately denounced Trump’s decision to end DACA.

“Columbia unequivocally opposes the ending of DACA and is working with others in higher education to urge Congress and federal officials to reinstate DACA’s protections and protect the rights of those with DACA status during and after the “wind-down” process that has been announced.” – Professor Suzanne Goldberg, Executive Vice President for University Life, Herbert and Doris Wechsler Clinical Professor of Law, Columbia Law School …Columbia University full statement

“We know the Dreamers to be gifted and successful students who have grown up in our communities, attended our schools, and who are poised to make vital contributions to our nation’s economic strength, creativity, and global competitiveness. The repeal of DACA will mean the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs in the United States and hundreds of billions of dollars in economic growth over the next decade.” – University of Pennsylvania full statement

Check The LCR in the coming days for following articles about DACA.