Iveth Diaz didn’ t hear compassion. While Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Tuesday that ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, better known, as DACA was the “compa…
While Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Tuesday that ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, better known, as DACA was the “compassionate” thing to do, Diaz, 26, who is protected by the program, heard only uncertainty.
For Diaz and nearly 800,000 others currently protected by DACA the announcement issued Tuesday means limbo. Though they’ ve grown up in the United States and consider it home, Diaz and others face the very real prospect of being ordered back to a country of origin that many don’ t know or remember at all.
That outcome isn’ t definite. Sessions, who announced the DACA decision instead of President Donald Trump — who campaigned on it — said the administration will urge Congress to pass immigration reform. Some hope that the new rules would make permanent what DACA has done temporarily over the past five years, which is to let people brought here illegally as children work and study without fear of deportation. And public opinion polls show widespread support for the basic aims of DACA and for the people protected by it.
But Sessions, in his announcement, also suggested that the existence of DACA and the protection it has offered so-called DREAMers like Diaz has been a drain on America.
After saying that DACA has “denied jobs to hundreds of thousands of Americans” — a claim widely refuted by many economists — Sessions added: “Failure to enforce the laws in the past has put our nation at risk of crime, violence and even terrorism. The compassionate thing is to end the lawlessness, enforce our laws.…”
Diaz, of San Jacinto and a director of Graduate Studies at Cal State San Bernardino, disagreed.
“Nothing about what he said was compassionate.”
If Diaz didn’ t hear compassion, others did hear reason.
Anti-illegal immigration advocates who have fought DACA since President Barack Obama signed the order, in 2012, cheered the news. Many said they want Congress to implement legislation that secures the border and ends all sanctuary policies.
“This is the time for Congress, particularly for the Democratic leadership … to step up to the plate, ” said Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Reform, a Washington, D. C.-based group that advocates stopping illegal immigration.
“Come forward with a whole package that will ensure the American people that our immigration laws will be honored, ” he said.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform sees DACA as a form of amnesty, because the program allows people who don’ t have proper documentation to remain in the country. The organization is labeled as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
John Berry, a cabinet member with the Redlands Tea Party Patriots, said he “loved the announcement.”
“What part of illegal don’ t you understand?” Berry said, referring to undocumented immigrants. “I don’ t like the idea that you’ re going to be rewarded for illegal behavior.”
But that wasn’ t the response in many parts of Southern California, where an estimated 130,000 people are protected by DACA. Pro DACA rallies were held throughout the day in Los Angeles, Irvine, San Bernadino and Santa Ana, among other spots.
Soon after Sessions spoke, about 8 a.m., marchers gathered at the steps of the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles, chanting “immigrant power, ” and holding signs that read “Demand Action Now.”
DACA recipient Diana Ramos, who choked back tears, said the program has allowed her to study. In May, she completed her bachelor’s degree.
“Today, we stand together as a community and say that we will not be defeated, ” she told the crowd. “We will continue registering voters. We will continue to march. We will continue to protest. We will continue to move our brothers and sisters who can vote to vote and to make their voices heard.”
Demonstrators in Orange County denounced the DACA decision outside the office of Rep. Mimi Walters and demanded she co-sponsor legislation that would help those affected by the program’s repeal. And in Riverside about 240 people gathered outside First Congregation Church, holding signs that read messages such as “Build love not walls” and “Let them stay.”
Cristina Canales, 19, attended the Riverside rally with her sister to show support to DACA immigrants.
“My dad was undocumented for a long time. He recently got his citizenship. These are our issues, too, ” she said.
Protests against the dissolution of DACA were also scheduled in San Bernardino and Coachella.
The march in San Bernardino included a few hundred DACA supporters, and some counter protesters waving American flags and holding signs such as “build wall, deport them all.”
Mexican immigrant Juvenal Estrada, 45 of San Bernardino, said the idea of immigration reform isn’ t that simple.
“This is just a symptom of people coming over here and, according to them, breaking the law, ” Estrada said.
“Most of the people coming from other countries are good hard working people.”
Immigrant Agnes Gibboney, who said her son was killed by an illegal immigrant, said Sessions announcement was an outstanding moment in history.
“I am overjoyed, ” she said. “I have tears in my eyes because Americans are finally being put first.
“Our children can’ t get classes in college because they’ re overcrowding our schools.”
For many, the rallies were seen as the start of a broader push for immigrant rights.
Jorge Leal, a lecturer for the Chicana (o) Latina (o) Studies Department at Cal State LA, his role is to provide moral support to DACA students that he said make up a sizable population on campus.
“They do express the frustration and uncertainty of what their future will hold, ” Leal said.
This decision affects a range of DACA students, from those who are just starting college to those who are graduating and hoping to get into the job market or graduate school, he said.
Leal said a number of his DACA students disappeared from his classroom that after Trump’s election in November.
“That’s the uncertainty that they face, ” Leal said. “Some of them have gone in hiding, others are quite resilient.”
“I know this is an enormous distraction, ” Takano said.
Takano said he will fight to pass legislation to continue to protect DACA beneficiaries
“I believe it can get done, ” Takano said. “The American public is enormously sympathetic to the DACA kids. We have public sentiment on our side. I believe there are enough members of Congress who want to help the DACA kids.”
For Diaz, 26, the day brought reflection and fear. She said her status affects others in her family.
“My family depends a lot on me, financially, ” said Diaz. “As of now, my plan is to simply save up everything that I have.”
Over the weekend, she had a conversation with her family about reducing their expenses. It’s all about “changing our mentality, ” she said.
“I have that year to figure out my life, ” Diaz said.
Brenda Gazzar, Alma Fausto, Douglas Sanders and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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