I am proud to say that the Sullivan County Human Rights Commission has officially gone on the record in support of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and stands with New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in their suit against President Trump’s decision to end the program.
Last week at our monthly meeting we heard Sullivan County students state their fears about Trump’s decision to end the program.
I was so moved by one of the speakers that I must share it with you. I am certain after reading this you too will agree that what Trump is doing is devastating.
Here is what Irais – a DACA recipient had to say:
“I’m here today in the name of many dreamer in our community that for one reason or another couldn’t be here today. Some are away at college or at work, but most don’t feel comfortable or safe to come out of the shadows. I was a liberty Indian since the very beginning. At the age 5, I started kindergarten at Liberty Central School District, and continues my education as a liberty Indian until 2016 when I graduated. Throughout my first 8 years of school I thought I was just like everyone else that I had the same opportunity as the rest of my classmates; therefore I tried my hardest to get the best grades because I wanted to go to college after I graduated. Throughout those 8 years I had to prove who I truly was.”
“I was put into special education because I was said to have a learning disability but then 1 year later was taken out of special education and put into the accelerated program. At the age of 13 I learned that I was undocumented. I didn’t fully understand what that meant, but the one thing I did know for sure was that I didn’t qualify for financial aid, and I knew that my mother was not going to be able to pay for my education. This was my turning point in my education, I was depressed and always thought to myself “why should I keep trying this hard if when I graduate I won’t be able to continue my education”. This was when I stopped trying, I didn’t care as much as I did for school anymore.”
“I wanted to start working to help my mother, but I found out I couldn’t do that either. It was as if I no longer had a purpose, but just as I was losing hope. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrives, also known as DACA was announced in June of 2012. I was 15 at the time and just starting my freshmen year of high school that fall. DACA gave me hope again. With DACA I was able to work, drive and attend college. I was scared to apply for it at first because ICE would have all my information, but decided to take the risk anyway. I waited about 6 months to receive my work permit and social security number and I already had work applications in hand. I started to put more effort into school again and started working to save money for college because I knew I had to pay out of pocket. Since my freshmen year of high school I have been working full time jobs and on occasions more than one. As well as juggling sports, school, and yeg.”
“On Sep. 5th of 2017, president Trump decided to fade out the program, and ironically this was also my first day of nursing school I was ready to start the new school year. I was sitting in my orientation with my blue scrubs and white lab coat when I got the text about DACA. So many thoughts came into my head and while trying to hold my tears back I somehow managed to keep a smile on my face during the rest of orientation. But once I got into my car I fall apart, I knew I had to leave the program because I can’t afford to lose all that money because I wouldn’t have enough time to graduate, my DACA expires 3 months before my graduation date. I felt like my whole life was just taken from me. I know that when my DACA expires in 2019, I won’t be able to keep the job that I have now and won’t be able to continue my education in the medical field.” This is why I am here today! I want our voices to be heard and to make a safer place for all. I would like to thank you for listening to me today and end with a quote from president Barack Obama “What makes someone American isn’t just the blood or birth, but allegiance to our founding principles and faith in the idea that anyone- from anywhere – can write the next chapter of our story. Thank you!”
Thank you Irais for your brave words.
The Sullivan County Human Rights Commission in support of DACA believes, “Human rights are for everyone. There are no exceptions. We know the program is flawed and needs to be corrected to address many issues in the immigration system, but scrapping DACA is not the answer. It is cruel and inhumane to deport people whose only home is America.”
Executive Director Ari Mir-Pontier says, “Sullivan County Dreamers should not be made to feel that the land they love has rejected them. They were brought here by parents desperate to provide a better way of life for their children. They have established roots through our educational system and houses of worship, and are respectable, hardworking, taxpaying residents.”
The Commission urges Sullivan County residents to contact Congressional representatives and demand they take appropriate actions to treat the country’s approximately 800,000 young people in a humane way. According to reports, DACA covers roughly 42,000 undocumented New Yorkers who were brought to the U.S. as children.
Here is a list of resources for those affected by the revocation of DACA:
Catholic Charities is the best place for a DACA recipient to start. The office is in Poughkeepsie but they will serve residents of Sullivan:
1-845-452-1400, ext. 4259
We’re Here to Stay
http://weareheretostay.org/resources/
United We Dream
American Civil Liberties Union
https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights?topics=270
Congressman John Faso
https://faso.house.gov/contact/
Bill Liblick has made a name for himself on National TV Talk Shows where he spouted his outspoken views from the front row. Now he offers you his opinion every week in the “MOUTH THAT ROARS” Column in THE SULLIVAN COUNTY POST.