Dreamers and Their place in the United States

The United States defines itself as a multicultural nation, an ideal nation for immigrants

to live, and it should be reflected in its immigration policy. According to Pew Research “There

were 11.2 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. in 2015, which represented the 3.4% of

the nation’s population at time”. Within this population there are many young immigrants, which

were brought by their parents to the United States when they were child. These youth are known

as dreamers. In 2012, President Barack Obama passed The Deferred Action for Childhood

Arrivals (DACA) in order to provide dreamers with a permit that would allow them to work and

study in the United States without the fear of deportation. However, Donald Trump announced

the cancellation of DACA program on March 2018, which provoked a major disagreement in

congress. Democrats voted to fix DACA while Republicans wanted funds for security border

enhancements. The following timeline demonstrates that the United States is a country that has

welcomed immigrants throughout history. Therefore, Congress should approve an extension of

the DACA program so that it may keep providing those dreamers the opportunity to live in the

United States, and they may succeed in their education and be able to continue contributing to

our society.

1882 the Chinese Exclusion Act

The United Stated enacted a federal Law known as

the Chinese Exclusion Act. It was the first

restricted immigration law in the United States.

Immigrants arriving Ellis Island (Take from This act was created in order to exclude Chinese
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/ellis-island/ellis-
island-1907.jpg) Laborer to enter and remain in the United States.
Even though, this act stopped immigration from China, many Chinese were able to stay in the

United States, and were able to work and have a better quality life in the United States.

1921 The Emergency Quota Act

This immigration federal law was created to limit the

entering of the immigrants from certain countries. This

act admitted from any country annually to 3% of the

Refugees (Taken from
https://www.mtholyoke.edu/~simon20r/SS%20
St.%20Louis/americanimmigration.html) number of residents from that same country living in the

United States as of the U.S. Census of 1910 like

eastern and Central Europe (Bray, lewis 7). . The Emergency Quota Act limited the

immigration from certain countries, but the immigrants that were already living in the United

States were allowed to remain in the United States.

1965 Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965

This immigration and Nationality Act

“introduced two primary ways of

becoming an immigrant: by family

relationship and by the employment needs

of the United States” (Bray, lewis 8). The

President Johnson Signing the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act
of 1965 (Taken from quota racially biased act was abolished,
http://reasonradionetwork.com/images/2011/11/JohnsonSigns1965I
NSact.jpg )
and it is mostly the immigration law that we have today.

The USA Patriot Act

According to the New York Times, this act was

enacted:

"In response to the 9/11 terror attacks, the USA

Patriot Act tightens immigration, putting it under the

control of the Department of Homeland Security."

Even thought, this act restrain immigration,

United State Department of Homeland Security
(Taken from https://www.amazon.com/United- immigrant were still permitted enter to the United
Department-Homeland-Security-
Insignia/dp/B00HZBAPC0)
States.

Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DACA)

DACA was an executive action passed by

President Obama in 2012. This program

"Defers, or delays, the deportation of

undocumented immigrants from the United

Protesting in favor of DACA (Taken from
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/new-yorkers- States if they arrived in the country as children and
protest-sociopath-trump-move-daca-article-1.3483466)
meet certain other qualifications."

Even thought, these immigration acts were suppressing immigrants, throughout history,

the United States has allowed immigrants to enter and remain in its land. As a result, dreamers
should not be the exception. For many dreamers the only country that they consider theirs is the

United States. President Barack Obama mentioned in 2012 define many of those Dreamers as

young people who are full of “hope to talented, driven, patriotic young people”. Dreamers are a

great assets to the United States they just need the opportunity, so they may prepare to contribute

to our society.
 Works Cited

Krogstad, Jens Manuel, et al. “5 facts about illegal immigration in the U.S.” Pew Research

Center, 27 Apr. 2017, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/27/5-facts-about-illegal-

immigration-in-the-u-s/.

"Immigration Act of 1921." Immigration Act of 1921, 8/1/2017, p. 1. EBSCOhost,

libprox1.slcc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pwh

&AN=21213138&site=eds-live.

Bray, Ilona and Loida Nicolas Lewis. "CHAPTER 1: Immigration Then and Now." How to Get a

Green Card, July 2016, pp. 5-10. EBSCOhost,

libprox1.slcc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lir&

AN=116949912&site=eds-live.

SMITH, PATRICIA. "The Great IMMIGRATION Debate: We're a Nation of Immigrants, but

We Endlessly Argue about Who to Welcome to Our Shores. Why Are We so Divided?."

New York Times Upfront, vol. 150, no. 9, 19 Feb. 2018, p. 10.

EBSCOhost,libprox1.slcc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=tr

ue&db=mat&AN=127989208&site=eds-live.

“Remarks by the President on Immigration.” National Archives and Records Administration,

National Archives and Records Administration, obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-

press-office/2012/06/15/remarks-president-immigration.