It's official: Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced on Tuesday that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals executive action (DACA) program made effective under the Obama administration will be rescinded and phased out within six months— leaving many undocumented immigrants and advocates reeling over the unknowns for the future of DACA recipients.
Former President Barack Obama signed DACA in 2012, to stop the children of undocumented immigrants form being deported. Children under DACA are regularly called DREAMers, named for the DREAM Act that did not pass in 2010.
Twitter users using #DefendDACA to voice their opinions had immediate reactions to the news, but one user did more than just express sadness or anger: activist and undocumented immigrant Juan Escalante made a whole thread shining a helpful light on the situation. And, for him, it was deeply personal.
What it feels like to be a Dreamer at this particular point in time.
A 101 guide
— Juan Escalante (@JuanSaaa) September 4, 2017
The thread has three major points, outlining the extreme stress, anxiety and fear that Escalante and other DACA recipients are experiencing.
In his thread, Escalante writes that "the thought that you would be STRIPPED off your DACA status is not just traumatizing, it's dehumanizing and exhausting."He expands on the fear and uncertainty that is palpable among Dreamers: "We keep wondering about our futures," he writes."What will happen to us if Trump tries to deport us?"
The thread was retweeted about 22,000 times. While the information may seem obvious to those who consider themselves "woke," it's hard to get a full picture of the potentially devastating impact of the loss of this program without listening to voices of undocumented people.
2e. No amount of preparation to return to undocumented status can be done. Imagine having to prepare to face your worst nightmare (AGAIN)
— Juan Escalante (@JuanSaaa) September 4, 2017
While everyone is discussing the politics of the situation and the concerns of government officials, it's even more important to take a human look at the people directly affected by this legislative move — something that doesn't seem to be happening a lot lately.
These are just SOME of the numerous complexities and dimensions Dreamers navigate DAILY - while working/studying/etc
— Juan Escalante (@JuanSaaa) September 4, 2017
More immigrant voices are needed in their own issues. Thankfully, activists like Escalante are making sure that they are being heard.