Why we need DACA and its impact in Utah

This archived article was written by: Alexander Holt

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA made the news when President Donald Trump announced plans to rescind the policy that former President Barrack Obama implemented in 2012.
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions told reporters in a White House press briefing that the policy was being rescinded because it is “unconstitutional.” Utah Rep. Chris Stewart and Sen. Mike Lee both agree with Sessions stating that DACA is an overreach of federal power.
Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes joined in and stated Trump “has every right” to repeal DACA.
Some 800,000 or so Americans are DACA recipients, with 9,700 in Utah. While many are quick to say these people are not citizens, they are in all other aspects -American. Growing up with American values as their coworkers, healthcare providers, business owners, and fellow students some of which have never been to their “home” country and don’t even speak the language of the counties they came from.
Most DACA recipients came to United States when they were young by their parents who were simply seeking a better life for their children. Should we punish and deport them because of the actions of their parents? Should we send them back to a country where they have nowhere to go and nowhere to stay? Utah State University Eastern has approximately 14 DACA recipients. If you support the Trump Administration’s decision to remove DACA, what would you say to them?
There is one and only one reason why you should support these Americans, though they are not citizens, not because they pay taxes, have jobs, are involved with their communities or are students, but because they are human. Even though they do these things, they are human at the core.
That is the reason why we must support these people as they face the uncertainty that is shadowing over them. Sympathy and compassion should be our guiding principle as we do our part in the fight to protect DACA by standing up for DACA recipients when someone says something discriminatory or yells that they should be deported.
Though we cannot put our faith in Congress, there seems to be a little sliver of hope as it was reported by Washington Post, that Democrats and the administration struck a deal that includes a DACA-esque law as well as postponement on the Trump Wall.
This ,however, may not be enough, as Republicans including Speaker Paul Ryan says that Trump and the Democrats will not be able to get a law passed without a “buy-in” from the GOP.
This is weak that we have people who are supposed to represent the interests of all Americans but fail to do so on the simple fact that these Americans were not born here, but have always called this place home.
It is on us now to take action and stand by our fellow Americans as they fight for their futures and their lives. It is on us to tell Congress that these Americans matter and that we stand with them.