#80 DACA Recipients Face Tough Decisions: Leave The US Or Stay In Limbo?
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Episode Description:Â
In this episode, we discuss the tough decision many DACA recipients are facing – whether to leave the US due to ongoing legal limbo. We share the stories of numerous DACA recipients who have chosen to leave the US in search of a brighter future and shed light on the challenges they face and the difficult decisions they are forced to make. From emotional trauma to negative economic effects, we explore the impacts of self-deportation and provide insight into why so many DACA recipients are making the difficult decision to leave the only country they have ever known. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the complex issues that DACA recipients are dealing with and the importance of comprehensive immigration reform.
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EPISODE INTRODUCTION
What is going on everyone? I’m Kevin Muñoz and this is The LEO podcast where we discuss various educational topics especially those impacting the Latin American community. Â
In today’s episode, we’ll be discussing the tough decision many DACA recipients are facing – whether to leave the US due to ongoing legal limbo. We share the stories of numerous DACA recipients who have chosen to leave the US in search of a brighter future and shed light on the challenges they face and the difficult decisions they are forced to make. From emotional trauma to negative economic effects, we explore the impacts of self-deportation and provide insight into why so many DACA recipients are making the difficult decision to leave the only country they have ever known. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the complex issues that DACA recipients are dealing with and the importance of comprehensive immigration reform.
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Topic:
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Hello everyone, today’s topic is about the tough decision that many DACA recipients are facing, whether to leave the US due to the ongoing legal limbo that we are in. For those who may not be familiar, DACA stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which provides temporary protection from deportation to young undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children, like myself.
As we enter 2023, we find ourselves still in a state of uncertainty, with no clear pathway to citizenship in sight. This has left many DACA recipients feeling frustrated and uncertain about their future in this country. With each passing year, more and more of us are taking a hard look at our lives in the US and questioning if this is really what we want for ourselves.
This topic has been brought to the forefront once again with the publication of an article by ABC News, which features the stories of numerous DACA recipients who have chosen to leave the US in search of a brighter future. Today, I’ll be sharing some of these stories with you, to shed light on the challenges that DACA recipients face and the difficult decisions that many are forced to make.
So, let’s dive into these stories and gain a deeper understanding of the complex issues that DACA recipients are dealing with.
Miguel, a 23-year-old DACA recipient, who spoke to ABC News and shared that he is planning to leave the US and move to Canada because of the uncertainty surrounding his status in the US. He is a college graduate and masters student who wants to pursue a career in education administration. However, he feels that he cannot achieve his goals in the US because of the legal limbo he is in.
Tawhheeda Wahabzada, a former DACA recipient who self-deported to Canada from Nevada in 2020 and co-founded ONWARD, an online support network for DACA recipients who are disillusioned with the American dream, shared that many DACA recipients are looking to build a future outside of the US. They have become discouraged and disheartened because of the years of uncertainty in America. The recent federal appeals court decision that the DACA program is likely illegal and should be eliminated entirely has only added to their frustrations.
Madai Zamora, a former DACA recipient who self-deported to Mexico in 2018 after spending 21 years growing up in America, said that the US is like a golden cage. She explained that although there are many opportunities in America, there is a limit to how far a DACA recipient can go because of their immigration status. She created a video blog, “Diary of a Native Foreigner,” to document her transition to a place she lived briefly as a child but has never truly known.
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Jason Hong, another former DACA recipient and co-founder of ONWARD spent 18 years growing up on the East Coast, and ended up leaving the US for Spain in 2019. He now runs two startup companies from overseas. He believes that immigrants are the ones who create the most value for society and that the US is missing out on this value by not providing a pathway to permanent residency for DACA recipients.
Monsy Hernandez, a former DACA recipient from South Carolina, moved to Germany at 23 in order to pursue a career in social work, leaving the US at a time when social workers are in short supply. According to Monsy she “wanted very badly to consider [herself] American and to be seen as American. However it was very obvious to [her] in the way that [she] was treated and the way that people spoke to [her], that [she] was not welcome.” In her interview she even states that she does not have any regrets about self-deporting. And that she is no longer illegal, and that she found it to be incredibly healing being able to settle down and live in a country where she is accepted and she feels accepted.
These are just a few of the stories of DACA recipients who have decided to leave the US because of the legal limbo that we are in. We have spent years living in uncertainty, always wondering if we will be allowed to stay in the only country we have ever really known. This uncertainty has taken a steep emotional and financial toll on all of us, and this is why many of us have decided that it is time to move on.
I will say that it is important to note that DACA recipients are not the only ones affected by the US’s broken immigration system. Millions of undocumented immigrants are also living in legal limbo, unable to fully participate in American society. It is time for Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform and provide a pathway to citizenship for all undocumented immigrants, including DACA recipients. It is the right thing to do.
Lastly,while this option seems to have worked out for many of these individuals whose stories we highlighted in today’s episodes it’s important to note that Self-deportation, or voluntary departure from the United States may not be for everyone and can have several negative impacts on individuals, families, and communities.
For starters self-deportation can cause emotional and psychological trauma for individuals and families who are forced to leave the United States, particularly if they have lived in the country for a long time and have established ties to their communities. This can result in feelings of isolation, depression, and anxiety.
When looking at it from an economical point of view, self-deportation can have negative economic effects on individuals and communities. Many immigrants who self-deport may have been working and contributing to the U.S. economy, and their departure can lead to a loss of economic activity and tax revenue. This can have a ripple effect on local businesses and the overall economy.
The Educational effects: I know a lot of us are older now but for those who are students and are thinking about self-deporting for educational reasons it’s important to note that america’s educational system is different than other countries and this could lead to challenges in adjusting to a new educational system which can have a negative impact on someone’s academic and social development.
And lastly Legal effects: Individuals who self-deport may have difficulties re-entering the United States legally or obtaining legal status in the future, which can have long-term consequences for themselves and their families.
This is why making this type of decision is not an easy one and should be really thought out because while it may have worked out for a lot of DACA recipients whose stories we shared in today’s episode. We don’t really hear if there’s any stories out there of DACA recipients who regret it and I think that would also be an important perspective to highlight for us to really paint the overall picture.
THE END
That’s all for today on the LEO podcast. I’m Kevin Muñoz and as always feel free to send me a voicemail through my website latinamerianeo.org by simply clicking the purple “send voicemail” popup and just start recording your thoughts or any interesting topic that you’d like to see covered and I might just feature it on the next episode!
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Otherwise, I’ll see you all in next week’s episode! Â
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