Gissel sent me a letter. I would like to read part of it as part of
the Record. Here is what she said:
DACA has enabled me to become a meaningful member of
society by opening doors that would have otherwise not been
accessible. DACA recipients, like myself, are more than just
a policy. My hope is that when people listen to our stories,
they will notice the kind of individuals that we are and the
kind of contributions we make--not only to the economy, but
to our society. I reflect on that paragraph to think about this young woman, the
challenges she has faced within her family, and challenges imposed by
the fact that she was undocumented. She has never lost sight of her
commitment to her family, to her disabled sibling, and to many others
in her community. Now she wants to be a teacher. Wouldn't you be proud and honored to
have your child in a classroom with someone with Gissel's master's
degree and values? I certainly would. Gissel and other DREAMers have so
much to give to the United States, but without DACA and without the
DREAM Act, Gissel would be deported back to Mexico--a country she
hasn't lived in since she was 3 years old. Will America be a stronger country if we send away people like
Gissel, if we deport them and say we don't need them in our future? Of
course not. The answer is clear. Gissel will make America a better
place. Today we celebrate the DACA Program, which has given Gissel and
hundreds of thousands of other DREAMers the chance to finally come out
of the shadows, but we also recognize DACA as a temporary solution. Ultimately, Congress--and especially the Senate--must step up and
show leadership here; make certain that we address the failings and
weaknesses of our broken immigration system; say to the 780,000
protected by DACA that you stepped forward, paid your fee, submitted
yourself to a background check, and have been given a temporary
opportunity to be part of America. Now it is our job to translate that
into a permanent opportunity for these young people to make America a
better place. Mr.
Keywords matched
deported immigration undocumented DACA