After over two weeks of the U.S. government in partial shutdown, the United States is on the brink of extreme financial crisis if Congress cannot come to an agreement and fully reopen U.S. federal services by October 17. Just a day before the Treasury Department will run out of emergency funds, it looks like the Senate has come up with a plan that will be voted on this evening. House Speaker John Boehner says that he will not block this proposal from coming to a vote in the House of Representatives, which is a hopeful sign that the proposal will succeed and government services (including certain types of immigration services) will be restored to their normal functions before the week ends.
During an interview with Univision this week, President Obama took time to rekindle the topic of immigration reform, stating "Once [the fiscal crisis] is done, you know, the day after I'm going to be pushing to say, call a vote on immigration reform. I'm going to do so because I think it's really important for the country."
Obama has taken an increasing amount of heat from immigration reform activists for his hard line stance on deportations, which have doubled over the last ten years. During his administration, an average of 400,000 immigrants have been deported each year. In addition to deportations, another hot topic has been the widespread increase of holding immigrants in for-profit detention centers. Many of these issues could be addressed with a commonsense, comprehensive immigration reform bill.
The President has been promising to deliver on immigration reform since he used it as a major selling point during his 2012 reelection campaign. Putting immigration reform back at the top of his priority list would help strengthen his credibility and satisfy the voters who are still waiting for him to deliver.
Congress might not be ready to agree on Obamacare and many other types of government spending, but immigration reform is a topic that has real potential to succeed with bipartisan support. Just last week, 8 House members were arrested at an immigration reform march on the National Mall. Due to the shutdown, approval of Republican congressmen has fallen substantially in comparison to their Democrat colleagues, and immigration reform would be a sure bet in securing more Hispanic and Asian voters for the next Presidential election. Hopefully the silver lining of the shutdown will be Congress' new found motivation to pass real, bipartisan reform laws, with immigration reform as their first and easiest choice.
The last time a major piece of immigration reform legislation was passed by the U.S. government was 1986. Ronald Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) on November 6, 1986 as means to secure the border and establish a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Will the 2013 immigration reform bill ultimately arrive at the President's desk, almost thirty years after its counterpart passed under Reagan?
If the past is any indication, the 2013 version of reform still has hope in passing through the legislative branch, despite more than a few recent setbacks. Examining the similarities between the 1986 and 2013 bills help us understand that reform is still possible.
In 1986, the most recent prior immigration legislation was the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, an important set of laws that completely restructured the demographic makeup of U.S. immigrants. However, after the influx of unauthorized immigrants in the 1970s and early 80s, it was clear the Immigration and Nationality Act wasn't enough.
We are seeing the same issues with IRCA in 2013, 27 years later: it does not address the needs of the current U.S. economy and immigrant population. The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (referred to here as the 2013 bill) is an attempt to modernize immigration policy for a U.S. economy with great demand for high-skilled immigrant workers and attempts to address the now 11+ million undocumented immigrants living here as a second class, with no laws currently in place to realistically solve the problem.
In 1977, President Jimmy Carter proposed new legislation that would secure the border, impose fines on employers who hired undocumented workers, and grant a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. His efforts were shot down by Congress, but led to the formation of a commission led by Reverend Theodore Hesburgh that made recommendations for new immigration policy in 1981.
In 1982, the first iteration of what would become IRCA was introduced to Congress, and it ended up dying in the House of Representatives. The bill was reintroduced and subsequently died again in the House in 1984. The bill was finally revived in the fall of 1986 and passed into law, and it is still the basis for most of our immigration policies today.
Many were shocked by the 1986 bill's final success after years of heated debates and setbacks. U.S. labor groups were mostly opposed to IRCA: they very concerned about the new I-9 form requirements and employment enforcement policies, which harshly punished employers for hiring undocumented workers for the first time in U.S. history. Employers and civil rights groups were also concerned about a possible national ID system stemming from these new enforcement policies, which never ended up happening.
The 1986 bill was declared practically dead just weeks before it was signed. Thanks to several last-minute compromises, it passed. U.S. Representative Dan Lungren said the following about IRCA's passing, "It's been a rocky road to get here. We thought we had a corpse. But on the way to the morgue, a toe began to twitch." In the face of all the issues and doubters, the 1986 Congress found a way to get the bill to the President's desk, thereby changing the course of immigration and impacting immigrants' lives for years to come.
Topics: Deferred Action (DACA) Updates, Immigration Reform Updates, Immigration Blog
Despite being in the midst of a U.S. government shutdown, House Democrats gathered on Capitol Hill today to announce their own comprehensive immigration reform bill. The 78-page bill is based on the Gang of 8's bill that passed this summer. The new bill drops the controversial Corker-Hoeven border security amendment that was added to appease certain opponents of the original Senate bill. In its place is a provision for the Department of Homeland Security to establish a plan for arresting at least 90% of immigrants who try to cross the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the New Democrat Coalition, House Minority Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and many other House Democrats joined together to present this bill at a time when it seems that Democrats and Republicans can't or won't see eye to eye on any legislation.
The Democrats' emphasis was on bipartisanship, with multiple representatives repeatedly stating that each part of the bill had bi-partisan support and therefore should be acceptable for House Republicans to consider.
Less than two weeks ago, a bi-partisan group was supposed to produce an immigration reform bill for the House but fell apart due to two Republican members of the group dropping out.
Those who monitor the immigration debate are predicting this bill will go ignored by Republicans and is meant more to make a statement about the need for reform than to actually pass legislation. DREAMer activist organization DREAM Action Coalition released a statement today in response to the bill's release, saying they were "skeptical" and warning that "the path to citizenship should not be used as a political weapon to hurt the other party or kill any chance of reform, including piecemeal legislation."
The consensus seems to be that Republican House members will not consider an immigration reform effort led by Democrats, but there have been no official statements released from House Speaker John Boehner or other GOP leaders in the House.
Stay tuned for more updates on the House Democrats' immigration reform bill on Facebook and Twitter.
The harsh reality of U.S. immigration is if you want to start a new life in the United States, there is virtually no way for you to do it without immediate family or employer sponsorship. At best, you might be able to visit the United States through a B-2 visitor visa, which is a temporary (non-immigrant) visa that requires you to leave the country after a maximum stay of 6 months. These visas can be difficult to get approved, with rejection rates for certain countries as high as 60%. Citizens of nations of the Visa Waiver Program can temporarily enter the United States without a visa, but they are subject to the discretion of the border patrol officer and may have their visit cut short or denied at the entry point.
Topics: Immigration Reform Updates, Personal and Family Visas, Immigration Blog
Most college DREAMers have very limited resources. One of our biggest concerns is how to fund for the next school year. There are very few private scholarships out there that do not ask for a social security number. It is difficult for any DREAMer to obtain scholarships because of strong competition with other students, and therefore we have to stand out. My scholarships for the most part are not renewable. That means that every year I have to go on a hunt for scholarships. It is an emotional roller coaster that requires me to learn how to balance school and extracurricular activities. I have to be an outstanding student with building pressure to always earn A's so I stand out from all the other scholarship applicants. If I accomplish all this, there is still a possibility that I won't get the scholarship. That's the struggle we DREAMers face every year. When we are lucky enough to win scholarship money, we still have to fill out a form that asks us for our social security number. This just makes the journey difficult. Some DREAMERS I know do not receive any scholarship money and have been forced to leave school. Others don't reach their goal of obtaining straight A's or being involved, so we end up feeling unaccomplished. Even with many new scholarship funds created for DREAMers, many DREAMERs do not have the necessary financial support.
At Northern Illinois University I'm involved in a group called DREAM Action NIU. This group has been my home away from home. We talk about what is going on in the United States related to immigration. It is composed of allies and DREAMERS, including faculty members and other students. One of our major goals is to raise enough money for scholarships for DREAMers we give out at the end of each school year. DREAM Action NIU usually sells food at Latino events and other places that the school lets us. We also fundraise in other ways such as selling t-shirts with our logo.
I wanted NIU President Baker to see the hard work we put into building the funds for the scholarships, so I invited him to a car show on campus where we were fundraising. He attended the event and for the first time met some of the DREAM Action NIU members. He even bought our shirts!
100% of the funds we raise go to DREAMer scholarships. In recent years more faculty members have noticed and now they support us. With hard work last year was the first year we awarded four scholarships of $500 each. As a group we know what a difficult issue this is. DREAM Action provides support to each other. Although we have been successful in fundraising, it is always hard to pick a winner.
It is very difficult to get through each year like this, wondering, "Will I be "˜good' enough to receive any scholarships? Are the groups I am involved in the right once that will provide me with scholarships?" When I don't earn an A in my class I feel like the world is coming down on me because that means my GPA is going down. This means I would not stand out when it comes to picking a winner for the scholarships. If I do not receive enough private funds then I will not come back even with all the hard work I put in. NIU has a rule that is essentially, "Don't ask, don't tell," if you are undocumented. They do it to protect themselves, but I cannot express my true struggles and my true needs without disclosing my immigration status. Sometimes DREAMers like me just end up losing hope. It is in those moments we can realize our strength.
Interested in learning more about scholarships for DREAMers and DACA students? Read more here.
Topics: Deferred Action (DACA) Updates, Immigration Reform Updates, Immigration Blog
Last week I had a one-on-one meeting with Northern Illinois University President Baker, who wanted to learn more about college DREAMers at NIU and how to help them. Like a child in a toy store, I was so excited to see his office and the secret balcony that I heard he had. We went through a secret door in his office to the second floor where he has his meetings with the vice presidents of the university. Then we took the stairs to the top level. In the top of the balcony I met President Baker the human being. We talked about the plans he has for NIU, the vision he has for the university, and the 20/20 plan. He didn’t present himself as this high authority, but as a humble man interested in my life. I was shocked; why would a man that has so much power be interested in a DREAMer?
Topics: Deferred Action (DACA) Updates, Immigration Reform Updates, Immigration Blog
Ever since I started college, I always had to face more struggles than other students. My freshman year I was afraid I would not be able to return for second semester because I could not pay for it. Even with my 3.8 GPA at the time, and all the multiple extracurricular activities, I still could not get any financial aid from the government. I was afraid to go ask for help because I did not know who in the school was an ally to DREAMers. My lifelong dream of getting an education was slipping away like water running through my fingers. I was losing hope and felt like it was not worth it anymore. Why struggle so much? Why work three times as hard just to see if maybe I would return? I felt hopeless and alone.
In the Northern Illinois University Latino Resource Center I found my salvation. Even if each year the story repeats itself, I know I will come back as long as I work hard in school and stay involved because I have the support of staff members, DREAM Action NIU, and other allies. I consider myself lucky because not many DREAMers have the strength to look for help; they just give up.
Last Tuesday, October 27, 2013 I was given the opportunity to be at a historical event for NIU. NIU’s President Baker came out and in front of the media and agreed to help DREAMers. This means many DREAMers to come will not have to go through the struggles that I did. Discrimination will decrease and hopefully we will get financial aid as well as emotional support.
During the event I was the only undocumented person in the panel. I represented all the DREAMers at NIU. I felt honored to be selected for this historical event sponsored by the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition and NIU. As a 21 year-old woman with a learning disability, I was shocked to be selected. I told them my story, how I came here, and how I was raised in a violent neighborhood. I informed them that I graduated in top 20 of 1,100 students in my high school. I spoke of my involvement in the executive board of the first Latin Honor Society at NIU. I mentioned that I am a mentor for other students through various groups and that I am in the Honors Program at NIU. During the summer time I worked three jobs, went to school and interned at VISANOW. Even with all this I informed them that I still struggle to come back each semester. President Baker acknowledged that the school does need to help us.
“It should not be this difficult for a student like Christian to get an education,” President Baker said. The other members of the panel were Billy Lawless, chair of the Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform, Emily Gray, executive director of World Relief, Manny Sanchez , chair of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Employment Law Forum, and Lauren Carini, student at Wheaton College.
It has been a short journey for me. Two years ago I was living a double life not letting anybody know that I was undocumented. I was afraid of applying to DACA and I did not even know if I would finish my first year at NIU. Today I am two years from graduating with honors from one of the best business schools in the Midwest. I have fought for a voice to be heard not only for myself but for my people, for my family. As a DREAMer I am not the problem, I am one of the millions of solutions. To other DREAMers struggling like me, I tell you do not lose hope. Never let anybody tell you it’s impossible. On behalf of DREAM Action NIU and all DREAMers that attend NIU I thank President Baker for his support.
I interviewed three undocumented college students who all who come from different backgrounds. I wanted to compare how they view the struggles of being undocumented. These DREAMERs, one European, one Asian, and one Hispanic, study in different colleges and are in different places in their studies, but they all struggle with the same issue.
Talking to an undocumented student from Europe I realized that we share the same problems but we face different struggles that come from being undocumented. The person that I interviewed showed no real worries. He has never been questioned for his legal status in a public setting. I concluded that it was because of his looks. This person had a white complexion with light eyes and his English is impressive for the 4 years he has been here.
I was curious to know why he had come to the USA if Europe is supposed to be better economically. His reason was that in his homeland everything was easy, he had money, a home but his mother thought it would be better here for them. They came using tourist visas and over stayed the estimated visiting days- just like my family. He was disappointed when he arrived here because he expected something better. However his mother forced him to stay. When he was old enough to leave by himself, he didn't want to because he found here the piece he was missing in his home land. In his case he found struggles making his life interesting and he found a new reason for life. For him, the struggle of being undocumented is not as difficult and his wealth back in his homeland has permitted him a comfortable life style. In my opinion, not all of Europeans are as lucky as him.
A wonderful Asian woman also shared her story with me. She is currently attending college, works and has a four year old boy name Buddy. At first glance, everyone thinks that she has it all put together. People believe that it is easy for her to have a 3.6 GPA as well as to manage being a single mother and to provide for her son with no problem. This happens because she keeps her immigration status very private. Only a few people know of her real struggles. Once you get to know her you realize she struggles to pay out of pocket for her education because she is undocumented. You can tell she has been through discrimination from her past partner. Even with all the struggles she faces, she still manages to be extremely involved in the community. She brings Buddy to DREAM Action meetings. She teaches him that even if they do not have much he still has to give back. She also has served as the president of Phi Theta Kappa and Vice President for Intercultural Student Association. She is very involved with her community church. Like many Dreamers she was brought here as a child at the age of eight. She completed her elementary and high school years in the Oak Park community.
I also interviewed a person that fits the stereotype of an immigrant. He grew up in the United States and as a child he encountered the hardships of being an illegal Immigrant. He told me that during fourth grade he received an award for an art piece he created. The award was a savings bond that he could use to pay for college. He could not retrieve it because he did not have a Social Security number. Ever since then he has believed that he is not good enough for the system. Currently he is a senior at NIU and works three jobs just to pay for school. He told me he has gotten discriminated while driving and even in the movie theater. I could see he has lost hope. Now he takes any discrimination and obvious abuse from society as a normal thing.
Topics: Deferred Action (DACA) Updates, Immigration Reform Updates, Immigration Blog
