According to statistics provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, more than 300,000 young immigrants were accepted into the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in 2017. This program gives many opportunities to children who were brought to the United States at a young age, the most important opportunity being the ability to attend college. Without these government programs, immigrant youth are left with no legal rights and the constant fear of being deported. The majority of these students were brought to the United States at a very young age with no ability to decide their fate, and they have likely spent most of their life here. Therefore, the possibility of being sent back to a fairly unknown country and being stripped of the only life they have known is entirely too real.
These are people we see every day, ones we might sit beside on our shuttle, in class or in the bookstore. They spend just as many hours pursuing their degree here as other students, and they belong on this campus just as much anyone does. Although many DACA students are proud of their immigrant culture, they deserve to be recognized for their many other attributes, not just their legal status. They are more than just immigrants — they are friends, coworkers, tutors, TAs, organization leaders and most importantly, they are Gamecocks. As a Gamecock family, we should unite and show our support for these individuals. We should make them feel as though they belong on our campus and in our country, because they do. None of us were given any choice in where we were born and where we grew up. Why should we isolate and shame others for having as little choice as we did in the matter?
The recent change in administration has promoted a new level of discrimination and racism among young Americans. I’m not here to discuss politics, or to start a debate about our president. I am here to say that we cannot become a generation that endorses the dehumanization of fellow Americans. The American identity is a question of nationality, not ethnicity or race. Our pride for our country should include pride in the incredible diversity of our citizens, and our ability to blend so many different cultures within one single country.
I encourage my fellow Gamecocks to stand in solidarity with DACA students. This support means the most at these times when it feels like the nation is completely against them. Beneath our skin colors, nationalities and religions, we are all humans. This concept is all too often forgotten when ignorance is being promoted by our leaders. It may seem difficult to speak out when you’re in the minority, but the freedom to stand up for your beliefs lies in the foundations of this country that we love so much. Let’s not forget what we have stood for since 1776.