In an article published in The Washington Post, written on the 21st of February,
Margaret Spellings writes a kind of letter to Trump about how he shouldn't
break "America's promise to 'dreamers'". She speaks to the President
directly, but also indirectly writes to those opposed to having undocumented
immigrants in this country.
Spellings went through the same things as the children under
the DACA act. She came to the U.S. as a child, at the age of seven, with no say
in the matter; her parents thought it would be best for her and her sisters so
they went along with it. She did the same things the adults my age did when
they first came here when they were younger. She went to public school, made
friends, and studied hard enough to earn admission into the University of
Houston. Texas became her home and she eventually went on to become a U.S.
education secretary (2005-2009) and the president of the University of North
Carolina.
In this article, she argues that Trump shouldn’t aim to take
away the education rights of students in the DACA act due to the threat of
deportation. She argues that despite coming from somewhere else, they share the
same hopes and dreams for a better America because America has become a home
for them. She uses some of the same reasons she mentioned from her story—they came
here without a choice, they didn’t choose to break immigration laws. They came
here and enrolled in our public schools, they became part of our community, and
even celebrated our holidays. This is important to remember because these
students shouldn’t be punished for something they didn’t even have control
over.
Furthermore, these students don’t have it as easy as some
Americans do when it comes to college. These immigrants must pay out of pocket
for all their schooling expenses. Sure, some Americans must do the same, but most
can have financial aid. These immigrants use their own money to go to school
and get an education to be able to do good for the community. Spellings argues
that they shouldn’t be punished because in them being able to go to school they
have the option to become teachers, doctors and nurses, business owners, or
even things as simple as being a good person in the community. All things every
country can use more of. They share the same hopes and dreams for a better
America, for a better life in general, and that shouldn’t be punished.
I can’t help but agree with what she is saying. While Trump
is acting on laws that already exist—deporting immigrants with criminal
backgrounds—I’ve read that they are arresting people with minor misdemeanors,
and even here in Austin non-criminals are being arrested. If that is happening,
what’s to stop them from trying to deport a family where there is no criminal
background? There’s no argument that there are immigrants who are criminals,
just like in any country there are always going to be people who go into places
trying to commit some crime, but the ones who are trying to have a better life
and aren’t harming anyone shouldn’t be punished for the actions of the true
criminals. Immigrants are an important part of what keeps our daily lives
going. They take up the roles no one wants to really do, like being maids in
hotels to clean up after the mess some people leave, driving around
neighborhoods wanting to cut yards for money. They work hard just like some of
the American people. They are important. They are human beings. Just like with groups
all over the world, the masses shouldn’t be persecuted for the small minority
that aren’t acting responsibly. An inscription on Lady Liberty says, “give me
your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free, the wretched
refuse of your teeming shore, send these, the homeless, tempest tossed to me, I
lift my lamp beside the golden door.” Lady Liberty is a symbol for freedom. She
lit the way for immigrants coming to our country. Who are we to forget the
roots of our national monuments? We used to hold them sacred.
