A Path for Undocumented Youth

It is a step in the right direction. It is not about amnesty nor immigration reform, but rather a temporary system that will permit 1.7 million undocumented youth, who came to the U.S. as children, to not be deported. It will permit them to study and work for two years. On Wednesday, Aug. 15, the day President Obama’s policy came into effect, there were long lines, with crowds of young people in many cities applying for the policy’s benefits.

After the failure of the DREAM Act in Congress, hundreds of thousands of undocumented people continued to dream that they would be able to study and work without the constant threat of being deported. Today, it is paradoxical that the undocumented go to ask for the benefit of the policy with many documents that show that they have lived in the United States for more than five years and that they are or have been students. They carry school records, diplomas, recognition of academic or athletic achievement, letters of recommendation, pay stubs, proof of having a bank account, rent bills, tax returns, etc. They arrived as minors with their parents. They have lived, studied and grown up in the United States. They speak English, and classmates and friends in schools and universities surround them.

President Obama made an important political decision by signing the policy. What does this have to do with a political measure? Of course, during election times, it will tie up the Latino vote, but it will also receive tough criticism from the Republicans. However, most of all, it is the first immigration measure — since amnesty in 1986 — that can benefit 1.7 million people. Even though it is temporary, it will serve to show Americans — convinced or not — that there are other ways to deal with immigration issues. In addition, it applies to those who are the best face of undocumented immigration: young people who are students, graduates, or in the military, and who consider themselves part of the USA. By ensuring that application information cannot be transferred to deportation services, they had prepared for the risk of the potential deportation of parents upon opening the door to the youth.

Tens of thousands of undocumented youth were not disheartened by the failure of the DREAM Act. Rather, they made brave decisions in their universities: They revealed their undocumented status to their classmates with all of the risks that came with it. They received the support of many, built networks, became an example for others to follow and went to the streets disclosing their undocumented status. They needed to be brave to reveal themselves as undocumented in a country in which anti-immigration laws have multiplied in many states, in which sentiments against undocumented immigrants have grown with the economic crisis and lack of jobs, and in which xenophobic anti-immigrant groups perform hate crimes.

In his first campaign, President Obama promised to pass immigration reform. This never occurred, as he did not have nor gain the necessary majority to move said reform forward. Obama’s policy opened a road. It is the first step in the right direction and can make the American people understand that undocumented youth deserve a path toward legalization. The policy benefits a vulnerable group that stands out for its excellent behavior and for having the support of not only the Latino population, but also classmates, workmates and family. In 2013, the DREAM Act should pass. For now, Obama’s policy sets the path in that direction.