By Vanessa Meraz
My father’s tired eyes lit up in a way that I had not seen since my sister was born. “Esto nos podría cambiar la vida,” he said. “This could change our lives.”
This was his hopeful reaction to the Biden-Harris administration’s proposal of legislation that would create a path to citizenship for immigrants like him.
He is exactly right — it could change our lives. But only if we keep the new administration accountable so that it actually does.
My family and community have lived in the shadows for decades, and I have never felt closer to basking in the sun. But too often, politicians have exploited our hopes for votes, only to backtrack. For these promises to become a reality for my father, mother, and all 11 million undocumented Americans living in the United States, we must continue to push past the status quo.
The early signs, at least, are promising.
On day one of his administration, President Biden signed an executive order announcing his commitment to preserve and fortify the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which survived years of attack from the Trump administration. DACA temporarily protects undocumented people like me, most of whom immigrated to the U.S. as young children, from deportation.
Our families deserved this moment of relief.
President Biden’s pledge to preserve DACA is a welcome one, not only for the immediate positive impact it has on the lives of hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients and our families, but also because it sets a refreshing change of pace for what’s to come.
By supporting the preservation of DACA at the outset, the Biden-Harris administration has confirmed that DACA is the floor — and not the ceiling — of what’s possible. It’s a commitment to go beyond the parameters of past efforts, moving away from temporary fixes and toward permanent relief for all.
In another encouraging sign, Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) recently reintroduced the Dream Act, which would offer a pathway to citizenship for over 2 million eligible undocumented people, including DACA recipients. It would also include Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) holders seeking safety from life-threatening conditions in their countries of origin.
Passage of the Dream Act is a necessary step. But it must be just the first of many.
President Biden has encouraged Congress to pass legislation that would create an eight-year path to citizenship for all undocumented people in the United States and place DACA recipients, TPS holders, and immigrant farmworkers on an expedited path to citizenship.
The immediate action we’re seeing from this administration on immigration is no fluke. It’s the result of advocacy, tenacity, and resilience by many Black and brown advocates who have consistently refused to accept the status quo.
In the coming weeks and months, we have a chance to bring safety and opportunity to all 11 million undocumented immigrants and our families in the United States. While the Dream Act is indeed an important step in ensuring millions of undocumented youth no longer have to live with uncertainty, it would still leave Dreamers like me worrying about the ever-present fear of separation from our loved ones who don’t benefit from the temporary security that DACA provides.
Legalization efforts must be inclusive not just of DACA recipients, but also of our children, families, and communities — who, like mine, all call this country home.
Vanessa Meraz, a DACA recipient who immigrated to the U.S. when she was three years old, works on the Immigration and Immigrant Families policy team at the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP).
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Gc says
Illegals deserve nothing but a bus ticket back to where they came from.
Veteran says
If you came here illegally you only deserve a one way ticket back to your country of origin!
Jeff says
You mean illegal aliens. Get it right. If you’re not here legally then you are here illegally. Alien means belonging to a foreign country. Stay with me commie. Here illegally and being from another country equals illegal alien.
A Concerned Observer says
Undocumented Americans? These terms are mutually exclusive. Undocumented immigrants or undocumented aliens is the presently politically correct term for illegal aliens. To those who disapprove of that accurate description, they entered the country illegally. So, what part of “Illegal Immigrant” or “Illegal Aliens” do you not understand? They are most certainly not Illegal Americans. if they did not enter the country in accordance to our laws, they ARE ILLEGAL. Those who wish to enter our country, do so legally. I have no problem reopening Ellis Island. You don’t like the designation, change the law. As for a “Pathway”, they all have one. Back to their own country until they come here legally.
Fredrick says
There is a path….. it is a line actually. Get in line behind those coming here legally. Immigrants are always welcome. Just get in line and do it legally. Yes there are those here because their parents broke the law. If they have maintained good standing then put them in line with others who are doing it legally.
Mark101 says
The KEY WORDS here are “Undocumented Americans”. Which means they came into this country illegally. What makes them so special, why not just give everyone in the world America citizenship. That’s what this lame column is stating. BE legal, and work towards being a real American Citizen. People that came into this country from abroad, worked hard towards being a citizens, they got their proper paper work to work, got their visas, and followed the guidelines. Nobody should be exempt.
https://www.rescue.org/article/how-immigrants-and-refugees-become-us-citizens
Agkistrodon says
Why stop there? Why not give all citizens of any country dual citizenship here. That ought to get you the votes you’re looking for right?…………..go big right, you got total control, be the dictator’s you want to be.
Bill says
ALL ??? NO way. Some yes if we are talking about those brought here ILLEGALLY as minors by their parents. I do agree that SOME adults who came here, stayed here, worked here ALL ILLEGALLY could have a path to Legal residence but NOT Citizenship.
Concerned says
Send them back where they came.
Gary says
The act of overstaying a visa, or crossing a border without permission is a crime. 100% of illegal immigrants are criminals.
Algernon says
I’m willing to bet that among all the commenters above, there aren’t a lot of people who have family or friends who arrived in the USA in recent years. It seems to be a “circle the wagons” mentality with a couple of exceptions among the writers: I’m here, and my close family and buddies are here, so lock the gates and bar the door!
My ancestors arrived here, for the most part, before 1776, back when their home governments in Europe were trying to colonize American territories and most were welcome to bring their families, skills and whatever assets they could scrape together. In time the US government responding to political pressure started limiting particular groups unless they were needed to build the railroads or work in the mines. You get the picture.
Of course, as in any large group, there will be a small group to jail or deport, BUT, immigrants. documented and otherwise, are generally good for the USA because they contribute to society. Perhaps some kind of general amnesty period would be good for the undocumented people here to come forward without fear of fines, incarceration, or deportation to go through citizenship education and a waiting period, part or all of which could be waived taking into account the amount of time they had been here already. This could result in an influx of new productive citizens who already know how things work here. This could also result in happier families, better students, and harder working employees out of appreciation that the US of America finally recognized and fixed years of mismanagement of immigration.
capt says
Just a thought, try to go to any other country in the world besides the US and claim to have rights as a illegal alien and demand citizenship without doing anything.
Whathehck? says
My family and I came to this country the “legal” way under President Nixon and we jumped the line to a green card then jumped it again to citizenship. How come? Because one of America’s powerful company wanted our experience at any cost. Years later another family member and his family were enticed by another powerful company this time in Silicon Valley and under the H. Bush Administration. I do feel for the malnourished, the poors, the oppressed who are reaching for the American Dream by doing the jobs that no Americans would take. None of us experienced the hardship that individuals have to go through, we were white, rich and privileged, that’s the American Way. We didn’t have to reach for the American Dream it was handed to us on a silver platter.
Mary Smith says
If you come into this Country, you should have to be inaculated, and updated on all your Vaccinations. As to speaking the ENGLISH Language.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
January 1975 I was LEGALLY allowed into Mexico as a TOURIST (with my ex who was a medical student in Guadalajara)- not as an undocumented immigrant! Was not allowed to work. Was not given FREE anything. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
Deb says
This will be the total downfall of this country. Allowing illegals rights and privileges over US citizens while we have so many HOMELESS that need this GOVT assistance, but NO !, the govt would rather turn its back and give that assistance to someone that came into this country illegally.
BMW says
Meaning no disrespect, your representation of who came to our shores in the 1700 and 1800’s is tad bit fuzzy. England sentenced criminals to “Transportation” and shipped them to America as punishment. So many that Virginia and Maryland tried to pass laws to stop Transportation as 80% of the criminals landed in their colonies. Similarly, England was an equal opportunity provider of slave labor to America, not only via the Royal African Company, but stripping Scottish fighters off the battlefield and orphan’s throughout the streets of their empire, marching them to boats and enslaving them to work their factories within the North East colonies. It’s difficult to make assumptions on what policy should be brought forward today based on where our country was 300 years ago. My greatest concern is, if we are truly marching toward the end of the world via Global Warming, how is increasing our population with the numbers Washington is talking about going to reduce the United States carbon footprint? And, to your point, opening the southern border will not result in an ‘influx of new productive citizens’. We can agree this is a serious topic and one in which emotion should not factor.