We can't wait because they can't wait. Every day that passes
is another day they are forced to keep their lives on hold. Right now,
hundreds of thousands of young people in this country are deferring
their dreams of finishing a college degree, of becoming a doctor,
buying a home, raising a family, starting a small business, or serving
in our military--all because President Trump pulled the plug on the
DACA Program 3 months ago. Imagine that feeling of waking up day after day without any certainty
about what comes next. Imagine that the country you love--the country
where you grew up, where you are part of the community, where you pay
your taxes, where you spend your time, your energy, and your money--
will not commit to uphold this promise to you. That is just wrong. Dreamers were brought to this country as children--some of them so
young, they don't even remember it--and holding up their futures or
sending them to a country they have never known makes no sense for them
or for our country. It doesn't do anything to solve our broken
immigration system, and it certainly doesn't reflect a country of
opportunity or promise--something the United States has always aspired
to. My colleagues have been sharing stories from their States. Here are a
few from my home State of Washington--just a few. I have heard so many
in recent months. Not long ago, I was in Tacoma, and I visited a community organization
that has actually helped hundreds of men and women get enrolled in the
DACA Program, including a woman named Adriana. She has always been a
strong student. As early as middle school, she was representing her
school district in statewide math and science competitions. Now, after
becoming a certified nursing assistant, she is a program manager
supervising others. Letting the DACA Program collapse would be a huge
setback for Adriana and would end her authorization and her ability to
work as a nursing assistant. I heard from a sophomore at my alma mater, Washington State
University, who was brought here to this country at the age of 9. Thanks to the DACA Program, she was able to get a job helping adults
with disabilities, which has allowed her to pay for college tuition and
support herself. She is a full-time student with a part-time job and
still finds time to volunteer in her community. She is on track to
graduate in 2019. She dreams of owning her own company someday. I heard from another DACA recipient who owns a business in Washington
State. He said that his college degree from the University of
Washington--which he completed without any Federal funding, by the way,
no help at all--symbolized one of his great life challenges. And, as he
noted, he is now using his education, his skills, his earnings, and his
taxes to contribute to the U.S. economy.
Keywords matched
immigration DACA