Presidential Power Play or DREAM Act Come True - Essay Example

? Due Presidential Power Play or DREAM Act Come True “Give me your tired, your poor; your huddled masses, yearning to be free…Send me these the tempest-tost to me…” (Lazarus). These famous words are an excerpt from the poem The Colossus, which is written on the plaque at the Statue of Liberty. There was a time when immigration to United States was common and encouraged. Decades ago, we called to all of those who wished to be Americans to bring their talents, skills, and ideals to these shores and they would be welcomed with open arms. Today becoming a United States citizen through the appropriate means is a difficult and complex process that is, often, discouraging to the people who come to this country. This results in many immigrants who arrive continuing to live within America’s borders without being legally documented by the United States government. This creates major social, political, and ethical issues involving the children who are brought to this country by their parents who grow up with an American upbringing but remain technically illegal immigrants. Several different solutions have been offered to Congress, over the last few years, but none have been approved. So it was a surprising turn of events when president Obama announced that the United States government will no longer be deporting the children of undocumented immigrants, providing that they meet certain criteria. Obama passed this policy by bypassing Congress altogether and acting on his own using the power of an executive order. This act by the president has gained immense response, both for and against. Many question the president’s choice, as well as, his motivations and are strongly opposed to the action either way. Still more, particularly, those who benefit from the new policy are rejoicing, yet some remain skeptical, concerned that the executive order will not last long enough to be practically implemented. There are many issues raised by the new immigration reform that the president has ordered that cannot be ignored. The executive order passed by Obama closely resembles the criteria of inclusion required by the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors act, or DREAM act, which has failed several times to gain full Congressional support.("DreamAct2009.org") The policy would allow the children of current undocumented immigrants to evade deportation if they arrived in the country before the age of sixteen, are no older than the age of thirty presently, have been in the United States concurrently the last five years, have no criminal records, and will be or are attending college or will join the military for a no less than a two year term. In totality, it is estimated, that this policy will affect the immediate lives of approximately 800,000 young people residing in the United States today (Preston, and Cushman Jr. A1) The policy will, also, allow for a guaranteed reprieve from deportation, renewable on a two-year basis, and will grant the eligible the opportunity to receive educational financial aid, work permits, and drivers’ licenses. According to President Obama it is the right thing to do at this point in the country. He stated that it is a step towards making immigration concerns,”…more fair, more efficient, and more just...” (qtd. in Cohen) He continued to explain that there is no logical reasons to deport talented and productive young people who, in all but title, are Americans. Obama’s act has raised many issues, beyond the main point of immigration that have given rise to many outspoken commentaries in opposition. Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, like many other Republicans, have accused the president of breaking the law by bypassing Congress and following through with his directive that he may not have the legal authority to enforce. (Preston, and Cushman Jr. A1) Others focus less on the president’s actions and more about the affect of his edict. They feel that the executive order will grant, to individuals who are already in violation of existing immigration laws, a “free pass,” or what amounts to, amnesty. Other critics worry that with all the new privileges being granted these immigrant workers will flood the, already diminished, job market taking jobs away for natural born citizens (Steinhauer). However, other, skeptics are enflamed not by the executive order itself, nor of its, potential economical impact, but on the motivations that compelled Obama to take advantage of his power to enact an executive order. They believe that Obama’s immediate action on immigration is a fast and furious power play to gain a large portion of Hispanic/Latino votes; being that the majority of those who would positively benefit by the executive order reform are Hispanic/Latino, primarily from Mexico. Republican Senator and possible vice-president candidate. Marco Rubio, says that Obama is playing a game with the immigrants living in this country. Circumventing Congress and failing to wait for Congressional compromise on the issue, will, ultimately, only make it harder to find a long-term, balanced, and responsible solution (Cohen). Up unto this point the Obama Administration has been much more aggressive in immigration issues. His administration has increased border patrols and has in his time in office has highest the deportation rate of undocumented immigrants, approximately 1.1 million, returned back to their countries of origin than any previous president since the fifties (Preston, and Cushman Jr. A1). This sudden sympathetic change is being perceived as a ploy to gain a majority votes in the November election. Another issue of great concern is the lifespan of Obama’s executive order. Campaign promises come with no guarantees. If Obama is not reelected or his executive order revoked then that would leave the lives of individuals, working to fulfill the criteria of the policy, floating in limbo. Mitt Romney, Republican Presidential Candidate, expressed a definitive need for and necessity of concern for providing certainty and clarity for the children of immigrants who came to America through no direct actions of their own (Cohen). Supporters of the president’s actions are very pleased with the move believing that this was the only way the necessary actions would be taken. They hold firm that the Republicans will stubbornly not commit to a positive decision on the topic. They claim that the Republican party is opposed to any policy that benefits immigrants. This one-sided perspective on the situation comes despite the Republican claims that a more conservative version of the DREAM act is already being prepared for presentation for Congress. The, primarily, Democratic supporters believe that it is, “…giving a generation of young people hope for the future” (Jacoby). The Democratic representatives are presently showing great faith in President Obama’s actions in implementing the executive order. It is a fantastic opportunity for these young people who have the want and desire to build a future for themselves, gain higher education, and enter the world as contributing members of society and it starts with this opportunity of making that a reality. Of course, the greatest supporters are found in all of those children of undocumented immigrants, and their families, who are eager to embrace the opportunities that executive order promises. At the Garcia High School in Chicago, 20% of the graduating classes are students that would be, potential, and beneficiaries of Obama’s policy. They were ecstatic with the news. One student in, particular, Rodrigo Espinoza, hopes to continue his education and dedicate his future research to finding a cure for cancer (Martinez 1). It is eager students, like these, that have the most to gain and the most to lose if the executive order were to be rescinded or does not ever come to full fruition. Strong immigration laws were intended to protect the United States from terrorist threats and to prevent against the commission of crimes committed via our borders. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, Agency has been allocated a 5.7 billion dollar budget dedicated to two major components; Homeland Security Investigations, or HSI, and Enforcement and Removal Operations, or ERO, together are intended to increase the efficiency of the seizure and deportation of the offenders ("ICE"). Opponents to the organization claim that their resources are being inappropriately targeted not towards undocumented immigrants that pose the greatest risks to communities or represent the greatest threat to public safety. In reality, less than 10% of the identified immigration cases handled by the agency involved undocumented immigrants who were engaged in any kind of violent crimes, drug offenses, or other illegal acts (Lin). Clearly, harsh immigration laws were not intended for the innocent children of immigrants, like the students mentioned earlier. It does not help that the ICE has made mistakes. In multiple cases they have detained and ultimately deported several individuals, who after investigation proved to have been living in the United States completely legally. There is also controversy presently given that the state of Arizona is awaiting a Supreme Court ruling to determine if the immigration policy that they wish to implement in their state is constitutionally legal. Should it pass, it would allow Arizona law enforcement to request proof of citizenship of any individual they deem suspicious. Currently the law would essentially legalize racial profiling in the state and create a greater level of distrust of law enforcement. Undocumented immigrants who witness crimes may be less likely to speak up as witnesses in fear of being detained themselves (Lin). With so many negative immigration issues circulating the news, reflecting poorly on the country’s leadership, Obama’s executive order could not have been more timely, politically speaking. Immigration is a serious issue with social, political and economic elements that are never ending and widely debated. However, the problem with such issues is that the relevance of the issue is often foreshadowed and lost when Democrats and Republicans use those topics against one another; where disagreements and lack of compromise is born out of spite. Former President Lyndon B. Johnson once asked his fellow lawmakers, “Do you want a bill or an issue?” (qtd. in Jacoby). Essentially meaning that the purpose of the democratic design of government is to find compromise, not remain so stubbornly, unyielding that resolutions are unreachable. Immigration regularly continues to be one of those issues, and it will, hardly, be resolved easily. It makes very little difference if Obama was motivated by heartfelt morality or was ideally targeting a demographic for political gain. Regardless of your political position on the subject or your preferred political party we cannot lose focus of the core of the issue. These young undocumented individuals are easily lumped into categories or detailed as statistics, but they are above all else people. Immigration issues are humanitarian issues first and foremost. These are human beings who live in fear of being rejected every day from the only home they have ever known. Many of these young people have never left their states, let alone the country. What purpose does it really serve to send them to a country that is foreign to them, where they may not even speak the language. There was a time when being an American was not about where you were born, again as we all are the descendents of immigrants, it was about beliefs. This country was founded on ideals of what means to be free and truly united. If individuals believe in what it means to be American and want to positively contribute to the country as a whole, then is it not completely un-American to disregard them and send them away. It is the future of these individuals that teeter in the balance and remain unfairly uncertain. Senator Rubio, who is the product of Cuban immigrants, definitely sees the need for quick and solid solution. There is a need to be compassionate in the issue, but the solution must not encourage further illegal immigration, “…but encourages proper roads to citizenship” (Davenport). It is only with an assertive yet ethical mindset that we will ever secure a satisfying resolution to the issue immigration. There was a time when this country was called the “Land of Dreams” and stood as the hope of many immigrants from all over the world who wanted to improve their life and live the “American Dream.” The executive order of President Obama is only a temporary solution, any sort of permanent resolution will inevitabley have to go through the proper Congressional process. That said, the DREAM act might not necessarily be the perfect answer. But, a solution must be reached. These individuals who are living in this country whose lives are stunted by the limitations that there undocumented status forces them to live. They did not choose this, they came, like most children, because that is where their parents brought them in hopes they would have a better life. This is the timeless story of all immigrants and, therefore, it is a huge part of the story of all Americans. Works Cited Cohen, Tom. "Obama Administration to Stop Deporting Some Young Illegal Immigrants." CNN Politics-Americas Choice 2012 Election Center. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., 16 June 2012. Web. 15 Jul. 2012. . Davenport, Coral. "Republicans Slam Obama on Immigration." Washington Journal - The Next American. (2012): n. p. Web. 15 Jul. 2012. . "Dream Act 2011." DreamAct2009.org. DreamAct2009.org, 2011. Web. 15 Jul 2012. . Jacoby, Tamar. "Obama's Executive Order is Good News, But Not the Solution." U.S. News- Debate Club. N.p., 19 June 2012. Web. 15 Jul 2012. . Lazarus, Emma. "The New Colossus." The Statue of Liberty National Monument. Liberty State Park, n.d. Web. 18 Jul 2012. . Lin , Joanne. "End It: 287(g) is Beyond Repair and Harms Local Communities Every Day." American Civil Liberties Union-Blog of Rights. The American Civil Liberties Union, 5 Apr 2010. Web. 15 Jul. 2012. . Martinez, Michael. "For Illegal Immigrant Graduates, a "Leap of Faith Has Been Answered," Educator Says." CNN U.S. Turner Broadcasting System Inc., 16 June 2012. Web. 15 Jul 2012. . Preston, Julia, and John H. Cushman Jr. "Obama to Permit Young Migrants to Remain in U.S." New York Times [15] 15 June 2012, A1. Web. 15 Jul. 2012. . Steinhauer, Jennifer. "Senate Democrats Reintroduce Dream Act." The Caucus-The Politics and Government Blog of the Times. The New York Times Company, 11 May 2011. Web. 15 Jul. 2012. < http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/11/senate-democrats-reintroduce-dream-act/>. United States. Department of Homeland Security. ICE. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2012. Web. 15 Jul. 2012. . Read More