Jose and I in Uncertainty

Though we tremble before uncertain futures — May we meet illness, death, and adversity with strength — May we dance in the face of our fears. Borderlands/ La Frontera by Gloria Anzaldua

Jose Vargas narrates his life story of being undocumented in the United States facing several complex battles along his life. He demonstrates the exhausting problems connected to being undocumented ranging from the systemic barriers placed to the mental hardships. While the limitation and hardships on Jose’s professional and mental development in relation to similar experience of my own, also proceeding to a new era of Deferal Action of Children Arrivals (DACA) and undocumented youth.

Those who trespass into the United States in plans to have a better future are welcomed with obstacles and hardships manufactured by systemic barriers. After having the costly opportunity to enter the United States many come with little to no items and are forced to live within poverty until they’re able to find a job that resorts to illegal employment. Entering a country illegally typically comes with the little ability to obtain a social security number — limiting many to meet the requirement of a social security identification for employment. Without the ability to have a social security number, many are forced to work in undesirable conditions or extremely laborious jobs — many exploiting workers, paying very little, and doing very little in keeping undocumented community out of financial poverty.

In 2001, a proposal was brought up by U.S Senator Dick Durbin and Orrin Hatch, called the Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act (the DREAM Act. The act was intended to pave a pathway for legal status for those who came to the United States illegally at a young age by their parents; however, the bill was never passed. Before the DREAM Act, there were not many legislation to help undocumented students like Jose and I — leaving millions of children to live under the shadows.

In 2012, U.S President, Barack Obama, signed the administrative relief called Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) by August 2012 applications were being accepted. DACA allowed temporary employment permit for undocumented youth but no pathway to citizenship. The temporary employment became a small hope for the undocumented community and we believed that progress was made.

Now, after the publication of Mr.Antonio Vargas’ article, DACA and its integrity are put into the chopping block. In 2017, a year in Trump’s Presidential term, he made an effort on terminating DACA. Despite his actions, On June 18, 2020, the court ruled 4–5 in opposition of Trump’s decision on the termination of DACA. Most recently, there’s been a termination for first time applicants and more dialogues surrounding the removal of renewals. The termination of first time applicants will leave millions of undocumented, my self included, with a sense of employment insecurity and mental strain. Once again, Young undocumented scholars will continue to experience the mentally taxing reality Jose faced as he sought out employment. Jose’s journey in seeking financial security and his occupational passion, became a strong part of his identity. His constainted fear of being a illegally employed undocumented and being exposed to the world cause him to hit his mental breaking point, revealing that “I tried to compartmentalize my fears,…but there was no escaping the central conflict in my life…I’m exhausted. I don’t want that life anymore” (Antonio Vargas, 2011). The fear and mental burden undocumented youth bear, continues to proceed as the new era of immigration legislation is establish. Through the time without DACA, undocumented adolescent face the mental chains anew along side the dismantaling of DACA . In addition, the termination of first time applicants also became a harsh removal of hope, having the only and temporary relief option taken away for undocumented youth leaves youth with a vulnerable sensation of navigating life with employment insecurity and most often financial hardship. Within a decade after Jose Vargas’article, there has been several movement that harm and broken down the small relief for undocumented youth in America with many being stripped for their opportunity to find employment and financial stability.

Those who live in financial hardships, have the opportunity to obtain Private University education — at University of Southern California in my case; or reach a high achieving, successful, professional occupation — in the case of José Antonio Vargas are given at the high cost of our mental health. As Jose worked exhaustingly to get to his position as a New York Times journalist, he had an extra component to his mentally taxing life by being undocumented. While others work in publishing their articles, Jose worked in publishing his article and constantly reminded that he needed to hide his identity of being undocumented to see the publishing of his work. Similar to José Antonio Vargas, when it came to undocumented youth graduating from high school, they instead find ways to work to mitigate the financial burden associated with the liberty of employment and cost of attending higher education. In my graduating high school class, I was the only undocumented scholar to attend a private institution; despite reaching my goals, there are still several mental hardships to attending higher education. When my peers work on completing assignments and going to their work-study, I am working on my schooling and left to find alternative solutions of work-study for my own financial obligations in order to stay for another semester. With financial insecurities and attending a university where money is required, one must have a method to pay for high education; thus, making it difficult for undocumented professional and professional to continue in higher education due to employment hardships consequently creating mental pressure.

The success of undocumented professionals and scholars nation-wide; and the legislation of DACA, developed this mistaken narrative of substainable existance and assitance offered within the undocumented community. Jose being an award winning undocumented journalist and me attending a private university, others see us as people who are able to be independent and substantial; when we develop anxious lifestyles. Being in the new era of DACA, those outside of the undocumented community are oblivious of the pulled apart legislation — only knowing that whats left is suppose to help undocumented community.

Today, when talking to members of my community campus, several do not know the current status of assistance for undocumented youth in the United States, while others believe that policies like DACA is enough to sustain our progress. Members of the undocumented community like Jose and I are left to face limitations, mental challenges, fear, and uncertainty; as others now face a new era of mental challenges and constraints. The last decade has only proven the necessity and lack of attention the undocumented community receives. When working to fight for change, it feels as if one must be appreciative of what has been done, but it’s simply not enough when I fear the uncertainty of my future, especially when I am uncertain for what’s to come each semester knowing that there is a high possibility I may not be where I am — home.