On DACA: The White House, the people, and Barack Obama
Originally published at linkedin.com on September 5, 2017.
Today, The White House announced that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) was being rescinded. For those that do not know, DACA was a program founded under Obama’s term (2012) that gave a legal status for recipients for two years, with the ability to renew it. The program allowed its 800,000 users to gain work authorization, social security, and other benefits within the United States.
As Jeff Sessions’ statement: DACA has been rescinded on that “the executive branch deliberately sought to achieve what the legislative branch specifically refused to authorize on multiple occasions.” He continues, “Ending the previous Administration’s disrespect for the legislative process is an important step.”
The White House:
After Labor Day, Attorney General Jeff Sessions released The White House statement. You can view the start of it below.
You can also read Jeff Sessions’ full speech here. The Attorney General did not take questions after his briefing.
Donald Trump took to Twitter to show his support for The White House’s statement, with a push for Congress to pass his political decision.
Trump knows that his decision will not be taken lightly, especially with protests already erupting in DC and other major cities. Trump needs Congress’ approval to get it done. As “Congress” starts to trend on Twitter, Trump tweeted:
As Jeff Sessions stated, The White House has given Congress six months to vote on the issue, but news outlets are already reporting that DACA deportation could cost US economy more than $400 billion, another reason not to support Trump’s decision.
The People of the United States:
As it has become more common after any political event in the last two years, people took to Twitter to demonstrate their frustration at The White House’s recent briefing.
Some of the earliest to reply was New York’s 56th Governor Andrew Cuomo.
In the same manner, Twitter’s Trends and Moments have begun to show movement. As of writing, current trending are: #HereToStay, #DreamAct, President Obama, Trump Administration, and #DACA.
Protests have already broken out in opposition to the Trump administration’s decision.
Some campuses have also joined the protests, with Denver high school students beginning with a walkout.
Some GOP members have also weighed in on the controversial issue:
United States Senator Lindsey Graham told ABC News his firm stance on the issue and that he intends to respect and engage in a debate with his colleagues that vote no.
Finally, a Twitter thread emerged on September 3, by user Juan Escalante, detailing the dehumanizing and exhaustive lifestyle that Dreamers face on a daily basis:
Click here to view the thread in full.
President Barack Obama on Trump’s decision:
Quickly after Attorney General Jeff Sessions disclosed The White House’s statement, President Barack Obama took to Facebook to express his views.
Back in 2012, POTUS 44 battled to pass the program. “They are Americans in their heart, in their minds, in every single way but one: on paper,” stated Obama in 2012. You can read more about the 2012 event here.
As of now, Barack Obama released his views on the issue, which I have included below in its fullest.
As President Obama said, “Let’s be clear: the action taken today isn’t required legally. It’s a political decision, and a moral question.”
A personal side note:
The sudden decision from the Trump administration has stirred plenty of discussion. None of my housemates or I are directly affected by The White House’s political decision, but living in Berkeley we have plenty of close friends that cannot believe the news. But it goes beyond friends: it’s also relatives, it’s neighbors, it’s classmates that are in distress now more than ever.
I am grateful to have my permanent residence card, but it is a privilege to have that wallet-sized document- it is even more to be able to apply to a citizenship solely by presenting documents. Many (around 800 thousand, to be exact) face very different lifestyles just because of the lack of this paper, and it is dehumanizing to those affected.
In his press briefing today, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the following: “[Illegal immigration] also denied jobs to hundreds of thousands of Americans by allowing those same jobs to go to illegal aliens. We inherited from our Founders-and have advanced- an unsurpassed legal heritage, which is the foundation of our freedom, safety, and prosperity.” But didn’t our Founders themselves also derive from immigrant parents looking to escape the jurisdiction of an oppressive system, in hopes for a better life?
As of now, I invite you to join the discussion about #DACA, whether it’s a tweet or a long article — it is worth to have a voice in political matters that affect us and those we care for. Will someone you know be affected by this decision? What are they feeling right now? How are they planning to respond to this decision?
Second, do research. Learn about the processes, inform yourself and others on what the possibilities are and act upon them. You can find more help here.
Finally, take action. Call your senators: you can find their phone numbers here. Remember that Congress has a six-month window to vote.
Got any thoughts to add? Tweet me @juliangumbo or comment below!
Julian Gamboa is a UC Berkeley graduate with a focus on marketing. Julian was selected as a LinkedIn Top Voice for Marketing and #Social Media (2017) and a Course Instructor of the marketing and digital publishing course Digital Marketing Today at the Haas School of Business. He is also the founder of Digiviewpoint, a millennial publishing account.
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