DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) is a federal program which grants benefits to immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. President Barack Obama started DACA in 2012. The benefits provided by DACA include, among others, protection from deportation. President Donald Trump has decided to end the program, and Congress has 6 months to decide what to do with the program and those it protects.
The Prospector interviewed several people around McClatchy, both students and staff, about their thoughts on DACA. In hopes of learning more about DACA’s effects on students, I interviewed Realino Ortiz and Andrea Hernandez, both Seniors. Andrea is the DACA expert at CKM’s Brown Issues club, and Realino is the club’s president.
When asked about his opinion on DACA, Realino said “Everybody should have a opportunity of education, so that’s just dropping everything that somebody’s future had, going forward.”.
Andrea was similarly disappointed by the president’s decision: “Everything that people worked for is going to be taken away, just like that, it’s just not fair at all.”
It is certain the elimination of DACA would be devastating for many at McClatchy, even outside of Brown Issues. When asked, Keara McCarthy, a McClatchy junior, stated the possible deportation of a classmate would be, “Really different… like you just start your life then it’s taken away from you.”
So students don’t seem to support the president’s decision to end DACA. How about teachers? The Prospector interviewed English teacher Mrs. Heitz to learn what she thought about the issue. “It’s just cruel to the students who have been given a chance to be here in America, and now we are telling them for whatever reason, that they aren’t good enough.”
The future of DACA, and those affected by it, seems uncertain. Realno and Andrea had a few words of wisdom for their fellow students, however. Andrea said McClatchy students should “Keep pushing through, don’t give up. We’re going to fix this.”
“Just keep your head in the game. Don’t pay attention to all of the things that the president is saying and just focus on education,” added Realino.
If DACA is ended, there will almost certainly be a great disappointment among the students and staff of McClatchy.
Editor’s Note: Political Cartoon created by Diego Alvarez-Machado