Featured Image: Trinity Kubaskse

Immigrant Harassment

A few months ago Transylvania University student, Paola Garcia, was singled out on a social media site receiving threats from peers saying they were going to report her to immigration. Fellow student Taylor Ragg posted on Facebook, “Everyone go report this illegal at my school bragging about breaking the law.” [perfectpullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“Everyone go report this illegal at my school bragging about breaking the law.” [/perfectpullquote]

Transylvania University says that they 100% do not condone harassment of any kind. Ragg was not disciplined for his post because his actions did not violate any school policies by just commenting on her legal status.

Video by CBS News 

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800,000 Children

Currently, about 800,000 illegal immigrants are enrolled in the DACA program. DACA protects illegal immigrants, who were brought to America as minors, from being deported, as long as they haven’t broken any laws. In order to apply for DACA you have to have been under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2007, must be at least 15, and have to be in some sort of school. If any laws are broken while they are enrolled in DACA they will be taken out of the program.

DACA is a beneficial program that provides thousands of people with the ability to create a successful life.

Who are The Dreamers

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The Dreamers, illegal immigrants brought here as children, have been able to create lives for themselves through the DACA program, and now for the first time have to face the real possibility of deportation. As a result of President Trump’s new and upcoming immigration laws, he has decided to end DACA, possibly one of the most extreme and consequential decisions he has ever made. The people facing deportation have only ever know America as their home, many of them didn’t even know they were illegal. John Walters a New York Journalist reports:

“Trump promised to rip up Daca immediately and make the deportation of the US’s estimated 11 million undocumented persons a top priority”.

A large part of the Dreamer population is going to college or beginning families if Trump dissolves the DACA program families will be torn apart.  

What does our president hate more: bad press or illegal immigrants? Trump’s preference will decide whether or not DACA will stay or go. The President, along with everyone else, does not want to see pictures and videos of families being separated. 

The Dream Act

The Dream Act might fix everything. The Dream Act of 2017 could be the solution that could make both of the sides happy. The act effectively puts the Dreamers on a structured path towards gaining citizenship. It will also make sure, as long as they meet the requirements, they cannot be deported. The majority of Congress wants to legalize the immigrants because of all the bad repercussions deporting them would cause. This act will be voted on later this summer, hopefully finally securing the Dreamers a legal place in America. 

What’s the Problem

One of the main reasons the Dream Act isn’t already put into motion is because it’s a lot to deal with. The Dream Act sounds great in theory, but it attempts to fix all the problems at once. Throughout the life of this issue, it has been pushed back and ignored. The government has procrastinated it and now we have to face it and find a solution, but all the issues have built up so were stuck biting off more than we can chew.

                                   The Bridge Act

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The Bridge Act is another possible solution. What makes this so intriguing is the nature of the bill. Instead of attempting to fix all the problems associated with DACA it gives a short-term solution. The majority of the bills try to give the immigrants a guarantee they will not be deported, put them on a path towards citizenship, and a work visa. All of these things are great, but it’s a lot to try to implement all at once, especially with the number of Dreamers the bill will be helping. The Bridge Act will provide immunity from being deported as long as the individual is helping to grow the economy, whether that is working, going to school, or being apart of the US military. All Dreamers who would want to be included in The Bridge Act would have to undergo a background check and a drug test which is, of course, fair because they have to contribute to the economic health of our country.  

The Problem

The main problem with the Bridge Act is that it is, unfortunately, just a temporary solution. This will just continue to make the problems bigger the longer we wait.  In a few years the problem will have to be revisited, logically it will definitely be easier to fix this problem slowly rather than biting off a huge chunk and fixing it all at once. The longer we postpone this issue the more the problems will pile up and it will become even more difficult to address. Even though this is a temporary fix, it is definitely better than no fix at all.

Don’t Fix What’s Not Broken

The last resort solution may be coming up with no solution at all. The Dreamers, who were raised in America, have a good education, good values, and know how a successful government functions. Their families migrated to America because they wanted a better life for themselves and their families, so their former home countries were, most likely, an undesirable place to live. For example, most of the population of Mexico lives in an impoverished area. While it would be horrible and tragic for these people to deported, they could have a great effect on their countries of origin. They could spread what they know and revolutionize the way their countries work. The Dreamers could be a great changing factor and help their countries become modern.

Which Solution Is Best?

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Out of the three solutions which provide the best outcome? The Dream Act would provide the least amount of mad media and drama, but it could be overwhelming for our nation to handle at once. The Bridge Act is just a short-term solution that could cause more havoc in the long run, but it could also give us a starting mark to begin a long-term solution. The Final Solution would cause a lot of heartbreak and controversy, but it could change the whole world in the future. Every action has a consequence, but it’s yours to decide what the best solution is to this seemingly impossible issue.