Midsummer’s Night DREAMers
America has a lot of DREAMers.
We’re not talking about counting sheep. In the world of U.S. immigration, DREAM stands for the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act. Many young people currently living in the U.S. arrived as children and grew up surrounded by and accepting of American culture. However, their citizenship status does not allow them to legally work, pursue an education, or serve in the military. This situation has left millions of people, mostly young, without a path to citizenship and with no way to legally work or contribute to American society. These “DREAMers” have placed their hopes on legislation as a path to citizenship and belonging in America.
For an accurate profile on DREAMers in the U.S., you can check out Organizing for Action’s 2013 documentary The Dream is Now, or the more recent Immigrant Legal Center’s We are Dreamers.
What has our government been doing to address this problem? In 2012 the Obama Administration enacted the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, or DACA, which provides temporary protection against deportation and allows DREAMers to remain in the U.S. under protected status. DACA is at best a band-aid for the situation of young migrants in the U.S.
DREAMers are an essential part of this country and have served, amongst other places, as frontliners in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in America. The majority of them want to continue contributing to U.S. society, and a majority of U.S. citizens want to help them do that.
The 9 year anniversary of DACA’s implementation has come and gone, and In 2021, Congress has taken up the DREAM act once again, this time under the moniker of American Dream and Promise Act of 2021.
How can you help? Support the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 to help everyone in the U.S. thrive, and show your senators your support for current DACA and TPS holders who are helping our country heal from this pandemic.
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