Jan. 15, 2017
We have just gotten off a 15-hour bus drive from Florida. We arrived in Washington, DC almost an hour ago and now we are waiting to hear what the plan is. It’s different from the last time in December. We have shrunk to one bus now instead of two. Last time was our first time attending one of these things. Last time, was our first time taking action and leaving everything behind so our voices could be heard. Most importantly, last time we didn’t think we would have to return and continue fighting for our brothers and sisters to stay in this country that they grew up in. But we have to come back. Their temporary immigration status has been put on hold and many of them are being deported each day.
DACA is a program that was brought into effect by the Obama administration, allowing those who entered the country as children to be given a temporary status so they could work, go to school, and not have to fear deportation. The program had its rules and regulations, meaning not all who applied for the program would be accepted, leaving thousands still undocumented.
However, in November, the Trump administration called an end to the program. They gave the recipients six months to leave voluntarily or await deportation by March. With the program gone, those with their status have until the date which they were suppose to renew their application to be somewhat safe. Many have already ran out of time. Each day, as many as 122 young immigrants lose their DACA. Since September 2017, the total amount of those who have lost their temporary status has been 17, 381. These ex-recipients cannot drive, work, and they are open to deportation. Now with the end of program, it is time to speak about a program that won’t just be temporary as DACA was but a permanent solution as the Clean Dream Act, that would create a path to citizenship for these students, engineers, workers, and teachers. In December, senators and Congress were to vote on the upcoming spending bill for 2018. This spending bill was to include a budget on programs the government were investing in. Unfortunately, the Clean Dream Act was not included.
Many of those voting on the bill have mentioned they will get on the topic once March hit. Once the program is completely over, and instead of hundreds losing their DACA each day, it will be thousands. With the hundreds already living in fear of leaving the only country they’ve known and their families and friends they grew up with, Congress has told them it is not urgent and they may continue to wait until March. Their fears can wait, even though everyday they see the news that someone else is being detained and being split from their family.
So here we are, in January. In Washington, protesting with many other young immigrants and allies who may not experience exactly what those with any immigration status face but as their neighbor,classmate, brother and sister, we fight with them so they can stay. They extended time to vote on the spending bill in January. We hoped December was going to be a winning month, but this is close. We have another chance to have the Clean Dream Act as part of the bill.
Though there may only be a few from Florida that have arrived in Washington to continue protesting, there are still more from other states. Texas drove 20 hours to get here and they have two busses. People are flying on their own to be part of this movement. The most amazing thing is that it is not just students here but teachers, nurses, parents, and children and they are all here in support. I see a child, who is still in elementary and she is a powerful activist. She speaks about her fighting for her cousin who is about to lose his DACA and in some ways it is sad that at her age she could understand what deported means but it is also very powerful that her tiny voice can make such an impact on us.
Jan 16, 2017
Today is the day, my best friend will get arrested. He is a DACA recipient until October. This is his second time getting arrested for the cause that is directly impacting him. The first time was in December, when we first arrived here. I was afraid but I am mostly proud of him for fighting as hard as he can. I am proud that instead of giving up and letting go, he is fighting to stay. He will be chanting outside Senator Grassly’s office with five other people we have not met before. The police will surround him and create a perimeter that cannot be passed and they will continue chanting.
I see him being pulled up and instead of handcuffs, they use zip-ties. They are taking them away now. I will see in two-hours, once we finish taking over senators’ offices.
Jan. 17, 2017
It is our last day here, last night it snowed. We are walking in the snow and many of us are unprepared for this cold. We are waiting for the next plan. They zip-tied my best friend’s wrist too tight, they are still a bit bruised from it. We start walking to the Congress building. We hear rumors about the Jewish community doing a protest but we are so unsure about what is going to happen. As we enter the building, we enter through the underground hallway and continue walking until we see what I suppose is the entrance. It is a dome hallway. Police are everywhere in groups. It is true, there is going to be a protest by the Jewish community and we are going to witness it. We are looking for space to see the center, where they will be.
The Jewish community have arrived. They are here in a large group, all ages. We become silent and hear them speak. We are not alone, they are with us. Slowly, they start to chant and bring their banners out. They sit and group together. We hear their chant “we shall not, we shall not be moved. We shall not, we shall not be moved.” They are here with us, and they are fighting with us. They huddled closer as police announced their second warning. They have started to make the perimeter and we must leave the area and so we go to the hallway where we can still hear them. As we wait, we see people crying as they walk out of the area. They have started the arrests. We can hear their voices stronger, as they continue to chant while being walked out into the vans. Many of us are watching live-streams from newscast who were allowed to stay. Their group has become smaller, soon it is 5…3..1, but they continue to chant.
We will continue fighting, even from afar. We have just been told the chant they sung was from the holocaust era. A chant they sing on the train to the concentration camps. We will not give up. We are all part of this land.