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Adonahi Mezawas 7 years old when he and his sisters were brought to the United States from Mexico, much like640,000 other undocumented children. Since 2004-2005, Meza has resided in Athens. During Mezas senior year of high school, he acquired a renewable two-year protection from deportation and eligibility for a work permit and driver's license through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which would allow him to attend Athens Technical College.

Shortly after being sworn into office, President Joe Biden sent a sweeping immgration proposal to Congress. The proposal calls for a fast-track path to citizenship for dreamers, TPS holders and some immigrant farmworkers. For local DACA recipients and undocumented people, this brings forth faith.

Under the immgration bill, DACA recipients would be eligible for a green card after living in the U.S. for five years, and could immediately apply for citizenship, while undocumented people would have to wait three more years after receiving their green card to apply for citizenship.

As both chambers of Congress have an adequate number of Democrats, this provides the opportunity for the bill to move forward.

They've been waiting their whole life for this bill, said JoBeth Allen, Co-Founder of U-Lead, an organization that helps immigrant students and students from immigrant families access and prepare for higher education. We've been through four years of terror where nobody felt safe.

Under the University System of Georgia policies 4.3.4. and 4.1.6., DACA recipients are prohibited from attending five of the states top universities; this would include theUniversity of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia College and State University, the Medical College of Georgia and Georgia State University.

For Meza, the biggest change this would bring is the ability to access a permit or green card. That way, he would not have to fear deportation.

Its not healthy for a kid or anybody else to go with the fear of, Am I [still] going to have my dad if we go to Walmart? Meza said. Having some sort of type of driver's license or green card will definitely help us.

Balbina Ramos, a DACA recipient who has resided in Athens since she was 3 years old and now attends Delaware State University, considers this country her home. During the Trump administration, Ramos had many sleepless nights worrying if she or her family would forcibly be moved back to Mexico.

I couldn't focus in school, couldn't do normal tasks, because I was so stressed thinking, What's going to happen if I have to leave this country? Ramos said. I have family in Mexico, but I don't know them I've never met them before and [that] is a foreign country to me. All I want is a legal path to citizenship.

In 2013, former President Barack Obamas administration offered a similar proposalto Bidens immigration plan.

Kristen Shepherd, a staff attorney for the Community Health Law Partnership Clinic at the University of Georgia School of Law, said politicians commonly use executive orders for progressive immigration policies. However, Biden is looking to pass legislation.

[Executive orders are] where those arguments are coming up about how the administrations not following the legislative process, or not doing a notice and comment period, with the new regulations and all of these technical requirements that happened through the legislative process, Shepherd said. If Biden is going to continue pushing through via legislation as opposed to the executive order, then I think that those challenges become less of an issue.

Ramos believes there is a higher chance of approval from congress for citizenship involving dreamers and TPS holders, but anticipates pushback from lawmakers on immigrants.

By mounting pressure onto Biden and his administration, as well as Congress, Ramos hopes this will lead to meaningful change where past efforts for immigration reform have failed.

If we don't pressure him to pressure Congress, and if we don't pressure Congress, it's not going to get done at all. I have been looking at the proposals it's going to be very hard, Ramos said.

Meza believes politicians need to be held accountable for immigration policy, since in the past they have felt short of their promises on immgration reform, such as when the Supreme Court tied and deadlocked Obamas immigration proposal.

We need to know who is actually fighting for us, Meza said.

Read this article:
Athens dreamers find new hope in Biden congressional bill for pathway to citizenship - Red and Black

1. Biden's Immigration Reform Plan Shouldn't Ignore Enforcement  Bloomberg
2. President Bidens immigration reforms may not be in time to help mother, daughter at border on the verge of d  MassLive.com
3. What to Expect From Biden's Immigration Policies  Foreign Policy
4. Fixing broken immigration system will aid NC workers  Raleigh News & Observer
5. Editorial: Immigration orders needed to halt cruel policies  San Antonio Express-News
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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Biden's Immigration Reform Plan Shouldn't Ignore Enforcement - Bloomberg

Demonstrators hold illuminated signs during a rally supporting the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), or the Dream Act, outside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., Jan. 18, 2018.

Zach Gibson | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Thursday introduced the latest iteration of the Dream Act, part of a new immigration reform push.

The proposed legislation, first introduced in 2001, would give some young, undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children the opportunity to pursue a path toward American citizenship.

The reintroduction comes as President Joe Biden begins rolling out his immigration reform agenda and aims to reverse many of President Donald Trump's immigration policies.

In 2012, President Barack Obama created the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program after the Dream Act failed to pass in Congress several times.

DACA protects the young undocumented immigrants who would be impacted by the Dream Act from deportation. The policy does not provide a path to citizenship.

Trump sought to end DACA during his presidency, but the Supreme Court blocked his administration's attempt in June. On Jan. 20, Biden signed an executive order preserving DACA.

"It is clear that only legislation passed by Congress can give Dreamers the chance they deserve to earn their way to American citizenship," Durbin said in a statement Thursday.

The Dream Act would grant some young, undocumented immigrants lawful permanent residence and eventually American citizenship if they meet certain criteria, including graduating from high school or earning a GED; pursuing higher education, working or serving in the military; and passing background checks.

The Dream Act of 2021 is identical to versions introduced by Durbin and Graham in the past two sessions of Congress, the senators say.

Graham indicated in a statement Thursday he would like to pass the Dream Act not as a standalone bill, but rather as part of a comprehensive immigration package.

"I believe it will be a starting point for us to find bipartisan breakthroughs providing relief to the Dreamers and also repairing a broken immigration system," Graham said.

In the last 15 years, Congress has not passed a comprehensive immigration bill.

About three-quarters of Americans support granting permanent legal status to undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, according to a June Pew Research Center survey.

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Bipartisan pair of senators reintroduces immigration reform bill protecting 'Dreamers' - CNBC

Years ago, my family had to fight US immigration offices tirelessly for my fathers chance to be a citizen. This was under the Obama administration whom many had championed as progressive for immigrants. My mom became a single mother for nearly a year all while juggling two children, lawyer fees, her undergraduate coursework, and a full-time job. She became a hero to me. As inspiring as that is, it makes me wonder why families even have to be separated in the first place. My father used to tell me the pain and struggle of what being undocumented looks like. He told me stories of fathers who had to watch their children grow up between the thin plastic slides of ICE detention centers. Without a lawyer, which most cant afford, I likely wouldnt have seen my father for decades. I like to think that maybe things will change, but change doesnt come from inaction. To get the widespread change Americans deserve, and by Americans I mean all Americans, we need to hold this administration accountable.

Truth be told, DACA isnt as controversial as people make it out to be. In fact, its sort of the bare minimum of what the American public expects to pass. Nearly 83% of Americans support immigration reform for children who arrived here illegally and want them to have a shot at citizenship. Not just this, but the requirements for DACA recipients are just extraneous and would oftentimes be downright unfeasible for most Duke students. Its no wonder why opinion has shifted in favor of DACA, the recipients are vetted beyond belief. Valeria Silombria, a senior Political Science major at Duke and DACA recipient, echoes this sentiment. She stated I am feeling hopeful about the Biden-Harris administration. I am appreciative of their plans for Dreamers pathway to citizenship; however, I think that DACA recipients are the most privileged among the undocumented community (because we get a work permit, drivers license, and protection from deportation). There are a lot of undocumented students who unfortunately dont qualify for this program because of the date they entered the U.S. or other circumstances. Also, DACA recipients parents dont get any benefit from the DACA program. I would really like to see justice for all these individuals too and not just us Dreamers.

To clarify, there isnt anything wrong with ensuring protection from DACA. What is wrong is how delayed the responses have been to it. The expectations for this upcoming administration are milestones that shouldve come a decade ago. Not just this, but these protections likely wont extend to the families of DACA recipients with a 50-50 split US Senate. Damary Gutierrez Hernandez, a junior at Duke majoring in Statistical Science and also a DACA recipient, stated At this point, I wonder what my parents are going to do. They have been here a very long time and their situation has stayed the same despite multiple changes in administration. They have sacrificed everything for me and my family to have the American dream. Despite this, their chance will be one of the first things cut by the 'moderate' vote. People dont think about the individuals going through this experience unless they place these great expectations on them. It almost feels like by elevating DACA students and not their entire families, they are placing a barrier between those who do or dont deserve it. The public opinion on who can receive DACA is sort of toxic. Who is anyone to say that someone doesnt or does deserve DACA?

The Biden Administration has made boldness a focal point of its immigration reform. While I certainly agree these last two senate races and putting DACA on the agenda were wins for progressives, that doesnt mean the fight is over. Justice is a lot more than equality. Justice looks like long-term organizing in the name of ending separating families. Even if the last Democratic administration didnt build cages for children, the fact that cages were built at all should sound the alarms for what we may see moving forward. Not just this, but President Bidens call to end private prisons doesnt include immigrant detention facilities. I agree that former President Trumps immigration policies were abhorrent, separating families and forced hysterectomies were simply unprecedented. However, this doesnt mean a repeal of those policies will insure a better quality of life for DACA, undocumented, and permanent residents. The stress, anxiety and fear will remain for many of these Americans. Just because the bar is below the ground doesnt mean we should remain minimal in our expectations. Without permanent legal protections, the risk of repeating Trumps atrocities remains at large.

Lastly, I would like to end with things that can be done to help support those fighting the immigration system. First off, the Informed Immigrant site provides a full guide to legal rights and finds local lawyers willing to work pro-bono to fight off immigration services. If you want to do one better, try to donate money to these programs. Second, hundreds of Duke students have signed this petition demanding Duke University declare itself a sanctuary campus but as of July 31st, 2020 there seems to be no formal announcement declaring it as one. Though Trump is no longer president, a move like this would be a sigh of relief and comfort for many Duke students. Administration changes, no matter how big or small, doesnt mean we stop fighting. Third, please help organize. Organizing consists of helping community leaders gather resources and people to support the cause. Georgia was a perfect example of what can happen when people get behind grassroots organizations and fight for longterm change. You can make a difference. Even if undocumented and DACA students dont have a vote themselves, students like Duke Senior and Statistical Science major Salvador Chavero have shown mobilization at Duke is possible. Last but not least, call your congressional representatives and urge them to push resolutions introduced by the Biden administration forward. Change is possible, but only if we support each other to get there.

I thank Salvador Chavero, Damary Gutierrez Hernandez, and Valeria Silombria for their incredible insight and help with this article. Undocumented, DACA, permanent residents, and international students fighting immigration services often go unnoticed at Duke. If there is anything anyone fighting these issues could take away from reading this column, please know youre not alone in this fight.

Anthony Salgado is a Trinity first-year. His column runs on alternate Fridays.

Originally posted here:
We need immigration revolution, not immigration reform - The Chronicle - Duke Chronicle

President Joseph R. Biden Jr. began his administration by fulfilling a number of promises made on the campaign trail. On his first day in office, the president issued an immigration reform proposal that includes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and a strategy to address the root causes of migration.

In a few short hours, the White House completely changed the tone of our national discourse on immigration. While campaigning and during his presidency, Donald Trump played on nativist fears by using the term invasion to describe the changing demographics of the United States. A positive tone is unquestionably a significant development in itself, but Mr. Biden has already demonstrated that he will go beyond mere words.

The new president has signed eight executive orders related to immigration in his first two weeks in office. He also signed an order that restores the inclusion of noncitizens in the official U.S. Census count. Many of these actions are direct reversals of President Trumps anti-immigrant measures. These measures are important first steps, but immigration reform must move beyond executive orders.

Mr. Biden fully restored the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an Obama-era policy that protected from deportation undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as minors. While ultimately blocked by the courts, Mr. Trump had attempted to end this program, popularly known as DACA. President Biden also ended the Migration Protection Protocols, commonly known as the Remain in Mexico policy, which forced vulnerable asylum seekers who arrived at the southern border to wait for their court dates amid precarious conditions in Mexico.

Mr. Biden also halted construction of the border wall, which Mr. Trump famously promised would be financed by the Mexican government. And Mr. Trumps travel bans, which barred travelers from certain nations with large Muslim populations, are also now a thing of the past. In short order, Mr. Biden used his office to reverse course on capricious immigration enforcement within the United States.

Under the Trump administration, immigration officials put into force a zero-tolerance policy on unauthorized border crossings that led to the separation of thousands of children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. While the trauma this inflicted on families cannot be reversed, Mr. Biden did order on Feb. 2 the formation of a task force to reunite hundreds of families who remain separated because of the Trump administration policy.

On the same day, Mr. Biden ordered both expanded avenues for legal migration from Central America and measures to address the conditions that cause Central Americans to flee their home countries. And he issued an executive order to review policies introduced by the Trump administration to determine whether they meet the goal of promoting the inclusion and integration of immigrants into American society.

While the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has rightly voiced its differences with Mr. Biden decisions related to abortion policy, the bishops have nevertheless applauded the administration for the many steps it has taken to improve the lives of immigrants.

The Catholic Church teaches that each person is created in the image and likeness of God and that we must uphold the inherent dignity of each person, the Most Rev. Mario E. Dorsonville, auxiliary bishop of Washington and chairman of the U.S.C.C.B.s Committee on Migration, said in a statement.

As a society, we must remain consistent in our openness and treatment of all persons, regardless of whether they were born in the United States or immigrated here, he said. We know that changes will take time but applaud President Bidens commitment to prioritize assisting our immigrant and refugee brothers and sisters. We also offer our assistance and cooperation on these urgent matters of human life and dignity.

The U.S. governments anti-immigrant actions certainly did not begin with Mr. Trump. Since President Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which legalized millions of undocumented immigrants, immigration reform has largely focused on enforcement and border security. Both Republican and Democratic leaders, for example, joined to pass the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, the 2001 Patriot Act, the 2005 Real ID Act and the 2006 Secure Fence Act. And while Mr. Obama took some executive actions to protect immigrants, his administration unwisely escalated the number of deportations and began the temporary detention of unaccompanied migrant children in chain-link enclosures, which reached its appalling zenith during the next administration.

The Trump administration brought U.S. immigration policy to rock bottom in terms of morality. Mr. Trumps approach, in words and actions, was typified by cruelty. The administration appeared to be inflicting these inhumane conditions in an effort to break the spirits of migrants and asylum seekers, believing that their suffering would cause them to abandon their efforts to enter the United States. Americans can rejoice today that this cruelty has come to an end, thanks to Mr. Biden.

But the work is far from over.

As the Kino Border Initiative recently noted, there are still thousands of asylum seekers waiting on the southern border because of the Remain in Mexico policy. Its suspension by the Biden administration does not change the reality for those who are currently enrolled and still waiting. Mr. Biden must immediately end Remain in Mexico for those who are already enrolled and must end Title 42 public health restrictions on the border, a measure to which experts object.

Mr. Biden must also reconsider enforcement strategies from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs Border Protection. As recently called for by Catholic bishops in border dioceses, the Biden administration must ensure that U.S. asylum law adheres to international standards. Mr. Biden must also take steps to address the paralyzing backlog of more than 1.3 million cases in immigration courts.

Immigration reform, however, must move beyond executive orders. President Obama and President Trump have both had their actions on immigration reversed by their successors. Unlike executive actions, Mr. Biden faces a much steeper challenge in working with Congress to pass needed permanent legislation on behalf of immigrants while safeguarding the future vitality of the United States.

This is just the beginning. Catholics and others who support immigrants may take Mr. Bidens first weeks of office as a hopeful sign of things to come. But we must also remain vigilant. Mr. Biden will need broad support from faith communities if he is to lead this country through the comprehensive immigration reform it so desperately needs.

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The Editors: Joe Biden will need support from the U.S. bishops to reform immigration policy - America Magazine