Campaign Action
“Trump shamelessly continues to use the Dreamers as pawns,” the Miami Herald correctly declared this week, stating that “Trump wants Democrats to bear the blame for failing the DREAMers. However, he’s letting a bipartisan remedy through his fingers.” At least six, to be exact. “You have called on Congress to act,” the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) said earlier this year, “however, you have thwarted every bipartisan, narrow agreement that seeks to provide relief to Dreamers.”
Trump started this crisis by rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program last September, but at the state level, ”Rhode Island lawmakers are striking back” to avert the damage he’s created. A new proposal, introduced by state Representative Shelby Maldonado, ”would let people who are able to document that they were in the DACA program continue to get drivers’ licenses, as well as permission to work in the state”:
At a meeting on Monday, Darling Melgar from Providence explained how critical it is to have those rights.
“Just having DACA, having that security, knowing that, you know, I can help my parents out with my job, a work permit, I got my driver’s license. I got my own car with the hard work,” she told legislators who are pushing for the bill. DACA really, like, it helps out.”
According to 2017 data, more than 1,200 DACA recipients call Rhode Island home, though more than double that number were eligible to enroll. While court orders have forced the Trump administration to resume taking DACA renewals (they are challenging this), new applicants are still barred from the program. With the GOP-led Congress refusing to pass the bipartisan DREAM Act and Trump torpedoing any bipartisan deals on the table, local and state actions are vital, and they matter to immigrant youth like Melgar.
Melgar told UPRISE RI that she worked two jobs to pay for college—undocumented immigrant youth, even with DACA status, are ineligible for federal financial aid. “I worked, I went to school, I at least took two classes,” she said. “I paid for it out of my pocket. I worked twice as hard to get where I want to be.” DACA has been more than just a status, it’s been about freedom, dignity and the ability to take care of themselves and their families.
Sergio Perez said that being ineligible for aid put him “in a spiraling depression.” He wanted to go to college, but had no idea how to pay for it. Perez said his mom snapped him back into action. “Ponte las pilas!” she said, translating to, “Put your batteries on.” He said that “every Spanish home hears that so many times. I decided that this isn’t the end of it. I have to find another path. I worked three days a week, each of them were 12 hour shifts. I went to Rhode Island College for two years, paid all of it off.”
“The current administration has ended DACA … and what that means is that eventually my permit will expire,” said Rodrigo Pimentel. “That certainty will come to an end. And I won’t be able to drive or contribute to this state. What Rep. Maldonado’s bill does is it provides a certainty that DREAMers need in this time of uncertainty.” And, it’s legislation the Assembly should pass, and that Gov. Gina Raimondo is set to sign.
“Let’s pass it,” she said. “If the president’s not going to do the right thing, let’s do the right thing in Rhode Island. We have the power to pass this legislation and make Rhode Island a place of inclusivity and humanity and diversity and public safety. It’s the right thing to do.”
