Lawmakers are working to block President Obama’s recent effort to stop the deportation of illegal or undocumented immigrants brought into the US as children by granting them deferred action. The GOP has introduced a bill to that effect.
The opposition has criticized the president for allegedly bypassing Congress in making its recent decision on deferred action.
Some undocumented immigrants are unaware they are in the U.S. unlawfully. For example, many children brought to the U.S. at an early age grow up believing they are American citizens. They have no recollection of life outside the United States. All they know is life in the U.S. As they grow up, they face unexpected limitations. They have no Social Security number, no driver’s license, no access to college or employment. Worst of all, society labels them ‘undocumented people.’ This is a harsh label for any young mind to endure. Does anyone wonder what the impact of this will be on these children? Most of these kids must live in constant fear.
These children find themselves caught between two worlds. On the one hand, one world is willing to accept them; on the other hand, they have no relationship to that world. At the same time, the world they’ve grown to embrace is now ready to reject them.
Why are these children being punished for the sins of others? Should they bear the consequences of their parents’ actions? Is it the children’s fault that their parents brought them into the U.S. or remained here unlawfully? What role did these children play in coming or remaining in the US illegally?
These innocent children face a battle they aren’t equipped to fight. Who should they look up to for justice and fairness?
Obama’s Move on Immigrant Children
The non-passage of the Dream Act in Congress which would have created a pathway to lawful immigration status for illegal or undocumented immigrants brought into the US as children is to say the least disappointing. Nonetheless, the recent move by President Obama’s administration to stop the deportation of illegal or undocumented immigrants brought into the U.S. when they were children is a very welcome development. Although it’s not a perfect solution to the immigration crisis, the President has shown that, in the end, the children should not bear the consequences of their parents’ actions.
