Immigrants bring so much value and diversity to the United States. However, when deportations of undocumented immigrants increase, our country loses this value.
Nevertheless, many immigrants are currently living under the fear of being deported, separated from their families and forced to leave the United States, which has become their home. In order to make the voices of undocumented immigrants heard, over 100 activists organized along the border of San Diego and Tijuana to convince Congress that it’s time to protect immigrants from the threat of deportation.
The Wednesday rally centered around the desire for a “clean Dream Act,” which could potentially protect certain immigrants who are currently residing in the United States without documentation. Immigrants protected by the Dream Act came to the United States as the children of immigrants. Most of them have lived here the majority of their lives, but they have never been able to secure citizenship.
Those who went to the rally were young and older immigrants alike. Some of those in attendance are fearful that they could lose their current protections from deportation provided by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which will expire next month. At this time, Congress has not finalized a new deal regarding DACA.
During the rally, participants were scheduled to share their stories as young immigrants arriving to the United States with their parents. They also planned to share the stories of people who have been deported as a result of an outdated immigration system.
Those living in fear of deportation in the United States may have various legal options available. If successfully employed, these legal options could serve to help certain individuals stay in the United States lawfully without fear of having to return to their home countries. Although success in any legal undertaking is not guaranteed, it could prove fruitful to investigate one’s available options in this regard.