Exclusive for El Magonista
By Maria Isabel Medina Ruiz
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, created in 2012 by President Barack Obama, is a program designed to protect young undocumented immigrants at risk of deportation. The order contemplates deferring any action on immigration status for a period of two years with renewal option for people who arrived in the United States undocumented when they were young. It also contemplates the request for permission to leave the country temporarily (Advance Parole) for humanitarian, educational or work purposes. Under DACA protection, young beneficiaries can have access to higher education, a work permit, driver’s licenses, health insurance and scholarships. However, DACA does not offer a path to citizenship, as there are currently limited ways to allow illegal immigrants to acquire permanent resident status. The result is that these young people are being excluded from full participation in U.S. society and unable to leave the country freely.
Currently, DACA protects around 800,000 youths of which 80% of the total of beneficiaries are Mexican nationality. California is the state with the most enrolled in the program; in 2015, CSU (California State University) system enrolled more than 6,400 undocumented students (Dulaney, 2015), even though the number may have increased in recent years. The policies implemented over the last 19 years such as the California Dream Act and DACA, have contributed to an overall increase in students having access to higher education (Delgado, 2018). Also, it is worth mentioning the important role of some social organizations such as CHIRLA, to support undocumented youth to obtain DACA and thus gain access to higher education and better job opportunities.
With the Dreamers Study Abroad Program, created by Professor Armando Vázquez-Ramos in 2014, in Long Beach, California, young Dreamers were allowed to travel to Mexico through the Advance Parole permit to engage in cultural and academic activities, to have the opportunity to reconnect with their roots and family members, and return to the United States legally. From 2014 to 2017, around 160 Dreamers participated in six different programs. Fortunately, all participants were able to re-enter the United States safely and legally. However, on September 5, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) suspended the Advance Parole provision for DACA recipients, after the Trump administration ordered the termination of the DACA program. Although several Federal Court orders had ruled to continue the DACA program since January 2018, DHS, and the U.S. Immigration Service (USCIS) continued to deny the ability for DACA recipients to apply for Advance Parole.
For that reason, CMCS (California Mexico Center Studies) decided to lead a national campaign to restore DACA Advance Parole. As part of this campaign and to promote it, they had ninety DACA recipients, Mostly women, supporters, and Dreamer-moms, coming from all over the U.S. territory to Washington D.C., on three consecutive times on 2019 (January, June, and November), to advocate for the restoration of the Advance Parole. Because of their advocacy efforts in Washington D.C., they got 170 congressional representatives and senators to sign on to a series of letters in which they questioned the discriminatory treatment to the process by the DHS and USCIS office, as well as the arbitrary decision to suspend Advance Parole for DACA recipients (advanceparole.org)
After a 4-year struggle, the CMCS and Professor Armando Vázquez-Ramos succeeded in restoring the Advance Parole permit for educational purposes for DACA recipients. It took a lawsuit and the support of dozens of congressmen to unblock and grant this permit. The importance of the litigation brought by CMCS is that it demonstrates once again yet another of the outstanding aspects of the Dreamers: they are one of the boldest and most combative social components of the immense immigrant movement. Not only are they willing to exercise their rights, but they maintain their autonomy and are willing to challenge in the courts or in the streets, hostile governments if necessary.
Once Advance Parole was restored, young people from different parts of the United States applied for the Dreamers Study Abroad Program 2021. Some of them were waiting for this opportunity for the last four years when Trump took office in 2016 and withdrew DACA, thus frustrating the desire and longing to return to Mexico. Finally, they could fulfill this dream.
And it is at this moment that I got involved in this wonderful experience at the invitation of Professor Armando. Between April and May 2021, I had the opportunity to meet some of the participants through Zoom meetings, it was my first contact with them, and I was hooked. It was very impactful to hear the diverse and powerful reasons why the Dreamers wanted to come to Mexico; such as hugging their parents after more than 20 years without seeing them, reconnecting with siblings who had stayed here, meeting their relatives, getting to know their parents ‘places of origin, learning a little more about the country where they were born, seeing their grandparents since some of them due to their advanced ages were sick or in a terminal stage.
Another girl commented that unfortunately, she had not been able to see her dad one more time and just wanted to go and leave flowers on his grave. I was moved by the strength and courage of these young people. For the sake of fulfilling their dream of returning, they would take the risk of coming to Mexico knowing that it would be up to the discretion of the immigration agent assigned to them, whether or not to allow them to re-enter the United States. That is why I also wanted to be part of this project and contribute in some way so that they could live their dream in Mexico.
On Thursday, June 10, 2021, I went to Terminal 2 of the Mexico City International Airport to meet with Professor Armando and part of the staff who were arriving from the city of Los Angeles. We left for Cuernavaca and on our way there, began to talk about our lives and respective activities on both sides of the border. Then we stopped for dinner at Tres Marias town in Morelos. From the beginning we had an excellent connection that is hard to put on words; I felt identified with them, I felt as if I had known them all my life and we became good friends.
I was the only Mexican residing on this side of the border; however, everyone welcomed me and allowed me to integrate into the Program without any problem. I consider that knowing and having a genuine interest in the problems and diverse situations faced by the Mexican diaspora in the United States, particularly in the state of California, was a great help; besides being a PhD student at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and doing a thesis on the participation of Chicana women in social movements in Los Angeles, and their contributions in the educational, labor, and political spheres.
I was amazed by the ability of Michael, Miriam, Citlali and Arely to speak English and Spanish at the same time fluently and without any problem (code switching). They mixed both languages when speaking to each other, which I found very interesting, and later I would realize that the rest of the participants in the program had the same ability.
We arrived at Hacienda Cocoyoc in Cuernavaca, Morelos, three days before the Dreamers were scheduled to arrive for their week of cultural and academic activities. Luz, Tom, Miriam and the medical team also joined us. We planned, organized, and fine-tuned details to kick off the Dreamers Study Abroad Program 2021. On Sunday, June 13, the first program kicked off. After 2, 3 weeks of spending time with their families and touring some places of interest in Mexico, the Dreamers had to say goodbye to their families and loved ones to report to La Hacienda Cocoyoc. For me it was very touching and heartbreaking to see how the participants arrived at the hotel accompanied by some of their family members.
The goodbyes were very sad. Some of them had to say goodbye to their siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, nieces, nephews, childhood friends, etc.; but the most painful thing was when some of them had to say goodbye to their parents without knowing when they would see or hug them again. They would say goodbye to them with an eternal hug, many kisses, and tears in their eyes. That broke my heart, it was inevitable not to cry or feel that lump in my throat.
We check them in, gave them the activities program and took them to their rooms to settle in. Later, they had a dinner to introduce themselves and mingled. In the beginning, everyone was a strange to each other; but then they realized that they had very similar stories and experiences, and a special connection and bond emerged between them.
They were also provided with a group therapy session to reassure them and allow them to share their emotions and experiences during their stay in Mexico. Most of them were very participative and open, telling their stories to unburden themselves and heal their past.
I had the opportunity to get to know the life stories of some of them in depth and in more detail during visits, meals, or free time. They told me how they had arrived in the United States, what their life was like, the difficulties and challenges they had to face having arrived undocumented in the U.S. and the benefits they had obtained with DACA. Some had tough stories: from those who crossed through the desert; in a semi-trailer; who had a traumatic experience; who crossed with someone else’s documents; to those whose visas simply expired.
These young Mexicans, immigrants, “undocumented” as some call them, were brought as children to the United States by their parents without their consent. Some of them as babies, others older. Suddenly, they had to leave their homes, schools, family, friends, pets, their memories and belongings, to join a society where most of the time they are not welcome because of their ethnicity and immigration status. They had to learn a new language, to adapt and fit into a different culture. Their parents made the difficult decision to immigrate to the United States with the hope and dream of providing their children with a better future, access to education and better opportunities.
Their parents also had to leave behind their parents, siblings, friends, property, and projects. They made many sacrifices and worked very hard so that their children would have the opportunities that may have been very difficult to get in Mexico, given the harsh contexts and situations that motivated these parents to migrate to the North.
Not only are they willing to exercise their rights, but they maintain their autonomy and are willing to challenge in the courts or in the streets, hostile governments if necessary.
Although at first it is complex for these young people to understand the reasons why their parents brought them to the United States, the vast majority eventually become extremely grateful for their parents’ decision to have immigrated to this country.
All the stories were very interesting, powerful, and inspiring. All of them had to come up with ingenious strategies, with the support of their families, to continue with their university studies and therefore pursue better opportunities. Being students was a way of feeling protected, of having an identity and of being productive. Education became a kind of sanctuary for them, as well as a means to compensate their parents for all the sacrifices and struggles they had to make to achieve the American Dream.
The week of cultural and academic activities was very dynamic; the participants enjoyed lectures, writing workshops, readings, guided visits to Taxco, Tepoztlan, the pyramids of Teotihuacan, Museum of Anthropology, Basilica of Guadalupe, Coyoacan; as well as tasting pre-Hispanic and traditional Mexican food, and more. I loved listening and watching them marvel at the history and culture of our ancestors, and from learning about the important contributions they have made to humanity. That made them feel proud of their Mexican roots, of being Mexican. They would ask me questions and recommendations for books to better understand the history of Mexico.
Some of them were concerned about their accent or not speaking Spanish correctly. According to the age they were when they arrived in the United States, was the level of difficulty they had to face to learn English. The younger they were, the easier it was for them to learn. They told me that they were put in special classes where they had to speak and pronounce English correctly and until they did it, they were integrated with the other kids. Many of them were self-conscious or embarrassed of their accent, or they had to look for other children who spoke Spanish to help them with the translation, and this is how they started to stop practicing Spanish. They usually only speak it with their parents or at home since most of the time they are studying or working. When I wanted to practice my English with them, they would answer me in Spanish. I thought it was because they didn’t understand me or that I didn’t speak it well, but later they confessed that they liked my “Mexican Spanish” and preferred to hear me speak that way.
When I told them that I was doing a postgraduate degree at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), they were very surprised to learn that despite the fact that I was pursuing a PhD at Mexico’s maximum university, my education was free and that in addition to that, I had a scholarship from the National Council for Science and Technology (CONACyT), since higher education in the United States is very expensive, even when the universities are public.
I was more surprised when we did the conversion from dollars to Mexican pesos of what they earned for a day or a week of work in the United States, because for me or any other normal person in Mexico, it would take months or years to equal that amount. I have always known about the wage difference between Mexico and the United States but not at that shocking level. Eventually, we came to the conclusion that it was all relative; living in Mexico or the U.S. had its advantages and disadvantages and we had in common the privilege of education. They valued the fact that I had a tourist visa and the opportunity to travel to North America and other countries with total freedom. They were also very interested in pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree at UNAM at a given time. They asked about the requirements, were and if it was possible for them to apply and asked me to keep informed of the calls for applications and opportunities at UNAM.
Some of them had coursed Chicano studies and recommended me many resources and relevant literature for my research. I was able to gather significant information about the educational aspect in Los Angeles, through regular conversations and through interviews with to some of the girls. It was fascinating and motivating to know that more than 90% of the participants of the Dreamers Study Abroad Program 2021 had a bachelor’s degree, mainly in political science, sociology, business administration, psychology, health sciences (nursing), Chicano studies, and human development. Some of them were pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees or were about to enter graduate school in the fall. The Dreamers came from 98 universities and community colleges in the United States and were currently working with a working permit, some of them in high-paying jobs or owning their own businesses, this thanks to the benefit of DACA and to the hard work and effort they have put into getting ahead.
Before this program, participants felt that they did not belong to either Mexico or the United States; but by the end of the program, the vast majority assumed that they are from here and from there and realized the important role that they play in both countries. Mexico is the country where they were born, where some or most of their relatives are, and where they have their first memories; the United States is their home, the place where they grew up and were formed, the place where some of them have already formed their own families. They showed concern and disappointment for the different problems affecting Mexico (insecurity, social inequality, drug trafficking, femicide, corruption, poverty, etc.), awakening in them the desire to take bilateral actions.
These young dreamers are, bilingual women and men, students, professionals, responsible workers, activists, with goals and aspirations. They are women and men with human and social capital and with astounding potential, who are educated in U.S. schools and are making important contributions. They are young people who were raised and educated in the United States without a way to become full participants of the U.S. citizenry and who live under the constant threat of deportation and family separation. Without a comprehensive immigration reform, these young people, their families, and communities, are in virtually limbo. DACA is only a temporary reprieve, and a constant reminder that their stay in the United States is not entirely welcome.
They deserve to come out of the shadows, break free from “The Golden Cage” in which they are held captive, spread their wings and fly very high. They have done everything an ordinary American citizen would do in the land of freedom, of equality and of opportunities to earn that right.
In the other hand, I believe that it is important for the Mexican government and the competent authorities to be aware of these experiences and to support these young people and the millions of Mexicans who are “abandoned” to their fate without a regular immigration status in the neighboring country to the north, our main trading partner.
Sources
Advanceparole.org. Retrieved in 2021 from https://www.advanceparole.org
DELGADO, Miriam G. 2018. Experiences of DACAmented Students Studying Abroad, Master Thesis, California State University, Long Beach, California.
DULANEY, Josh March 9, 2015 Cal State Long Beach Opens DREAM Center for undocumented students, press-telegram News, retrieved in 2021 from https://www.presstelegram.com/2015/03/09/cal-state-long-beach-opens-dream-center-for-undocumented-students/
AUTHOR BIO
Isabel Medina was born in Mexico City and currently resides in the municipality of Cuautitlán Izcalli, State of Mexico. She is in her last year of her PhD in Political and Social Sciences with orientation in International Relations at the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences of the UNAM. She is developing her thesis entitled "Chicana Power. Women in the Chicano Movement and their contributions in the educational, political and labor spheres in Los Angeles, California in the 21st century". Isabel obtained her master’s degree on Mexico-United States Studies, from the School of Advanced Studies of Acatlan (FES Acatlan) UNAM, with the thesis entitled "California pioneer in pro-immigrant laws. A contrast with Arizona's anti-immigrant laws in the period 2000-2016" where she gained an honorable mention. She currently has the privilege of collaborating with the Center for California-Mexico Studies as the Coordinator of Binational Academic Projects. She has always had a great passion and fascination for the Mexican-United Estates diaspora related studies. She wishes to contribute in some ways, to improve the living conditions of immigrants and the Mexican population living in the United States.
