On September 3rd, President Trump announced his decision to end DACA, most frequently referred to as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. DACA was implemented June 2012 by the Obama Administration. It allowed illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. as minors to avoid being deported and receive a work permit. Through this program, families were able to stay together, and illegal immigrants were able to work legally- instead of underhand, often unregulated jobs. Unfortunately, all the good this program has created is being put to a screeching halt, and is now being, awkwardly, handed over to Congress. The Trump Administration is waiting six months before they begin enforcing the end of DACA — a time many government officials believe will allow Congress to act. Tensions against Trump are already at an all time high, so what response will this hate-fueled action garner?
President Trump’s relationship with Latinx people, specifically Mexicans, has been chaotic- to say the least. Comments about “taco bowls” and “walls” have not gone over well in winning Donald Trump support from this community, and this latest action could prove to be the biggest mistake he’s made yet. DACA has helped nearly 800,000 people so far, and this impulsive shutdown of the whole program endangers the daily lives of the people who benefited from it. Additionally, this action could further alienate him from the majority of both parties, and cause his already low approval ratings to plummet even further. Many Congressmen are pleading with Trump to reconsider, specifically two members who came as immigrants. Their names are Ruben Kihuen (D-Nev.) and Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), and they gave powerful testimony describing how without this act, they would be unable to live their American Dream. Even the governor of Florida, Rick Scott, who is a republican, admits he “does not like punishing children based on the actions of their parents”. Because this is a very divisive issue, it could intensify the racist sentiments against Latinx people seen strongly during the election season. As we saw in Charleston, Virginia, extremely prejudice views typically bear violence and mass destruction. And quite honestly, we currently do not have the type of President who can handle and promote unity in times of political unrest.
For those reasons, I implore the Republican Party to take a critical look at what Trump is doing and try to stop it — before he takes the entire party down to laughingstock status with him.
Photo: https://affinitymagazine.us/2017/09/03/trump-just-crushed-a-bunch-of-dreams-again/
