The Fight Continues

The controversy and the hype from the election has died down a little but will never truly go away until the next four years. Now people are wondering how to go on with this huge change. DACA students have been left wondering if they have any future in this country at all. They are left in fear because now the government has all their information, knows who they are and what their status is. Although the fear is there, DACA students have not let this be a set back. DACA students are fighting back against Trump for what they deserve. They are simply not going to sit in fear and do nothing. Students all over Maryland are continuing to fight for their campuses to become sanctuary campuses. During the campaign President-elect Donal Trump initially said that he would deport about 11 million undocumented immigrants but now implies that he will focus on deporting those undocumented immigrants with a criminal record. Although DACA students make up less then one percent of the University System of Maryland population, there has been increasing support for DACA students. Students on campuses including University of Maryland and University of Maryland, Baltimore County have called for their campuses to become sanctuary campuses. Now Towson University has created a petition for our very own campus to become a sanctuary campus. The petition asks President Schatzel to help protect the students that are in danger because of Trump’s radical stance on undocumented immigrants. The petition reminds her that Towson has pledged against hate and has committed to diversity with the #NotatTU campaign. The next step is for our campus to become a sanctuary campus. There are a lot of wild speculations about what President-elect Trump will do with his presidency. We need to take the necessary precautions in order to protect those communities that are under attack, that are fearful and that feel unsafe in their own environments. Sign the petition and share it with everyone and anyone that can help. Any member of the community can help whether they are a graduate of Towson, still an undergrad, or a parent. Every signature counts.

Students Stand Up Against Trump

The whole country has been in an uproar since Trump was elected as the next president of the U.S. We have seen more hate crimes on campus, more people being scared, and more people angry at the injustice that is going on. Many people are tired of seeing the hate and prejudice that is directed at many different communities.

This week students at Towson came together to stand against the hatred and call people into action. On Monday November 14th many students participated in a walkout to protest President-elect Trump. At noon that Monday students walked out of classes and buildings and gathered around Freedom Square to listen to several students speak out about their fears as well as call their peers into action.  Several students as well as faculty members spoke out about how they felt afraid, against Trump’s hatred, racism, bigotry, homophobia, Islamaphobia, and misogyny. Many different students also declared themselves allies for those that were suffering through this tough time.

“Maybe if we embrace the beauty of being different, we won’t be so afraid,” said one Towson university student.

There was unity among the students until one Trump supporter disrupted the student currently speaking. The female student had stated “If you voted for Trump, f*ck you!” which the Trump supporter responded to  “Well f*ck you too!”and chaos broke out. Both students attempted to get closer to yell at each other until the Trump supporter walked away. He then came back and was eventually escorted by the police officer presented at the scene. Eventually the students quieted down and the event continued.

(Students shout out against the Trump supporter as he walks through the middle of the walkout.Video taken by Maria Centeno, Towson University Student.)

This walkout was just one of the rallies protesting Trump. The Latin American Student Organization collaborated with the Black Student Union participated in a peaceful protest that called for Towson to become a sanctuary campus to protect DACA students.  A sanctuary campus will prevent from law enforcement from coming on campus and deporting students without any notification. The university will not have release any information about a students’ immigration status or will not team up with law enforcement for any deportation raids.  This is a big support for Daca students and Dreamers. Schools all over the country are calling for their campuses to become help protect their students.Earlier that day several students where interviewed explaining why it is important for Towson to become a sanctuary campus. This issue has garnered more attention but it isn’t enough.As a community we need to continue in the fight and contact our government officials. These leaders are supposed to represent our needs and our wants and in order for them to do that we need to tell them. We need to let our voice be heard. Contact your representatives and fight against the prejudice.

 

Fearful Yet Not Defeated by the Election Results

It was a very somber day at Towson University the day after the election. The weather fit the mood of the students. There were clouds in the sky, it rained on and off, and the air was chilly.  As I walked into my first class on Wednesday, there were a few people missing and conversations were hushed. My journalism professor couldn’t bear to talk about the election coverage because she was too upset. The most heartbreaking moments I witnessed where the ones that some students shared at the Latin American Student Organization or LASO; I heard students share the fear of being women in the workplace, being homosexual, and I heard students share their fear of their loved ones or themselves being deported.

There has been heavy tension among the students. A tweet by Shaun King brought to light just one of the few instances where people have been attacked.

 

President Schatzel sent out an email to the student body announcing that they have launched an investigation in an effort to find the students responsible for the harassment.

There are many different movements that show how enraged people are that Trump won. Many jokes throughout the campaign made by many people including several celebrities that they would move to Canada if Trump were elected. The night of the election Canada’s immigration website  crashed. This is just one of the few instances that show American’s rage .There are also several petitions to impeach the president-elect as well as a petition for California to secede from the United States.

Hashtags such as “I’m still with her” and  “Love trump hates”  are just a couple of the few hashtags that people have used all over social media to protest Trump’s future presidency. There have also been many anti-Trump protests occurring nationwide; including one that happened in our very own area. People marched to the Inner Harbor and to the M&T Bank to protest Trump.

The scariest part for Dreamers is Trump’s threat to “immediately terminate President Obama’s two illegal executive amnesties” as well as increase deportations. It has been estimated that 11 million undocumented immigrants could face deportation if Trump follows through with his threats. However great the fear, Dreamers have still not given up. The hashtag “Here to stay” was trending on Twitter the night of the election. Many tears have been shed at the speculation of what Trump will try and do the millions of undocumented residents but one thing is clear among these unique group of students: They are not afraid to fight back.

One student at Towson’s LASO club said we need to be the generation that fights back. We need to be the next police officers, lawyers, and government officials because that is where we win this fight. Unfortunately, the riots have begun. People are burning American flags in the streets and making death threats towards Trump and his supporters. This is not the way to fight back. If we fight back in this manner we are proving them right.

LASO has planned a walk out this coming Monday, November 14th at noon.  Join the many students against Trump’s hatred, racism, homophobia, and misogyny. Let’s walk out of buildings, libraries, classrooms and stand together in Freedom Square to show that we do not support hate among our community.

Despite the prejudice and racism that is happening among the country, there is hope. Six different women have made history. Nevada elected Catherine Cortez Masto to the Senate making her the first Latina senator in U.S history. Kamala Harris was also elected to the senate making her the second Indian and African-American women  to serve in the U.S Senate. Stephanie Murphy defeated a 23-year old Republican incumbent and will be serving in Congress as the first Vietnamese-American woman in history. Oregon elected Kate Brown as the first openly LGBT governor. Former refugee Ilhan Omar was elected as the first Somali-American Muslim female legislator and Pramila Jayapal is the first Indian-American women to hold a a seat in the House of Representatives.  These women are our role models. We have to continue in their footsteps by taking advantage of all our educational resources, peacefully protesting and supporting one another in this tough time.

  

Make It Or Break Election for Dreamers

This election year has been like no others. It has been filled with insults, debates, allegations, FBI investigations and of course everyone’s favorite: political memes. This has been one of the most controversial campaigns the United States has seen. From Donald Trump’s wild comments to Hillary Clinton’s email scandal, people are now torn between choosing the lesser of two evils. These two candidates are polar opposites of one another yet bring their own version of controversy to the election race.

But what have each of these candidates said about immigration and undocumented residents?

Clinton’s views supports what President Obama has done in terms of immigration. She believes in having a barrier between Mexico and the U.S but would rather use technology and increase patrol to control border crossing. She also supports President Obama’s executive orders and has stated that she would propose immigration legislation within her first 100 days in office. If elected she would continue the deportation of those undocumented residents that have committed crimes but would not deport those that have not believing it would do more harm to communities rather then good. She would also allow undocumented residents to participate in federal health care exchanges and allow them to collect some Social Security. However she has not explicitly stated her views on sanctuary cities.

Well we all know how adamant Trump has been about expanding the wall between the U.S and Mexico and making Mexico pay for it. To no one’s surprise, he is opposed to promoting or creating any kind of immigration reform that would grant undocumented residents permanent residency or citizenship. He also pledged to immediately start deporting any immigrants that pose an immediate threat and those that didn’t would have to return home and apply for a legal status there. He would also not allow any undocumented residents to receive any government assistance in any capacity and would crackdown on sanctuary cities.

For Dreamers, the obvious choice would be for Clinton to win the race. Trump and his prejudice would basically disrupt and ruin the lives of those who had no control over whether they were brought to this country.  The crackdown on immigration has already begun. Police officers in Hartford Country Sheriff’s Office in Maryland is joining a program that will check the legal status of people being taken into custody.

Yes people who commit crimes that are undocumented should be reported, but how do we know for sure certain minorities are not going to be targeted for their skin color? We have seen the injustice and violence against minorities simply because of their skin color. Are people going to accuse certain minorities of being violent and resisting arrest just so they could be investigated about their immigration status? How long before this program leads to even more racial profiling?

This is not the first time indecent where law enforcements officers have been accused of racial profiling.  Sheriff Joe Arpaio from Arizona has been under investigation for racial profiling and is being held in criminal contempt-of-court for ignoring court orders.  Trump’s views on immigration will continue to increase this type of prejudice and racial profiling.

However, not all hope is lost for Dreamers. More and more states have taken immigration reform into their hands. They have created their own versions of the DREAM Act including Maryland allowing undocumented students access to in-state tuition rates and state financial aid. These are small victories that help in the bigger fight. These state Dream Acts are allowing undocumented people a little bit of breathing room and freedom.

People need to take advantage of every single opportunity they have no matte how small or insignificant it may seem. This unique community of undocumented residents needs to arms themselves with education. They need to fight to break the stereotypes that people like Trump have of undocumented residents. They need to continue working hard and continue to be upstanding citizens.

This election is crucial. If you can’t vote encourage your friends and family that can vote. Educate as many people as possible. Who do you think will win? Do you think they’ll do everything they actually said they will?  The long anticipated winner is almost here.

Delayed DACA Renewal Worries Dreamers

In 2012, the executive action by President Barack Obama called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals allowed millions of eligible undocumented residents who were brought to the U.S before the age of 16 and have been here since 2007 to hold two-year work permits.This executive order also gave residents a legal status and release from the possibility of being deported. These work permits much be renewed every two years or else they will expire. This was a small victory for young undocumented residents and a temporary relief for those that were unable to work, travel within the country and obtain their license. Although it was a small victory, it was essentially a bandage on a bullet hole. The real victory people were hoping for was for the DREAM Act to pass. The DREAM Act would provide a process that would eventually grant permanent residency to those that met the requirements. The DREAM Act is essentially a better version of  DACA. It would actually allow young upstanding undocumented residents to start their path to citizenship. However, the DREAM Act continuously gets rejected crushing the hope of these undocumented residents. DACA provided at least the ability for these residents to work and continue their education.

However four years later after the executive order began, DACA work permit holders are in a terrible place. Thousands of young people are waiting for their renewed permits but have yet  received them. Their current work permits have expired and are now loosing their jobs in turn. The anxiety and stress is taking a toll on all the people who are waiting and waiting for their permits with absolutely no idea what is happening with their legal status. People have no idea when they can begin working and the fear of being deported and being broke has set in once again.

According to USCIS, there have been many technical problems that has affected thousands of renewal cases but are working quickly resolve the situation.

But what can these scared undocumented residents do in the mean time? On the legal side, there isn’t anything else they can do. However, there are a few ways for people to handle this stressful situation and to channel their frustrations.  Here are a few suggestions that may help if this situation applies to you.

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for an account with USCIS. You should have received an email from the agency with a link to start you account and track the process in your case. Keep checking the website to see if there is any progress.

2. If your online account does not provide you with any information, call USCIS. If it has been 105 days since you have renewed your permit, your allowed to inquire about the status of your case.  Keep calling even if they say they have no further information. The more people call, the more pressure they will feel to resolve the situation.

3. Go crazy on social media! We live in an age where expressing your opinions and thoughts has never been easier. Between Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr and many more there is not shortage of means to share your thoughts and concerns. Create awareness  and buzz about this issue; a dialogue needs to start about this issue. Get your friends ad family involved. The more people that are educated, the better. Social media is this generation’s weapon. Millions of people’s lives are being affected by this. Although an extremely tough situation, young Dreamers can use this as an argument for a much permanent solution such as the DREAM Act. This wouldn’t happen if there was no need for a renewal process. The DACA executive order stops the bleeding but doesn’t stitch up the wound. Millions of hardworking people are being cut off at their kneecaps unable to do anything. One of the most frustrating things in life is being left helpless in a bad situation. Are you going to take action?