DACA: A Lifeline for Dreamers, a Political Football for Politicians

DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) is a program that provides temporary protection from deportation and work permits to undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as children. It's a lifeline for Dreamers, young people who were brought to this country as children and have grown up here, contributing to our communities and our economy. But for politicians, DACA has become a political football, kicked around to score cheap points.

I know what it's like to be a Dreamer. I came to the United States from Mexico when I was just three years old. My parents were undocumented, but they worked hard to give my brother and me a better life. I grew up in California, went to public schools, and joined the Girl Scouts. I'm proud of my Mexican heritage, but I also consider myself an American. The United States is the only home I've ever known.

When I was in high school, I learned about DACA. It was a game-changer. DACA gave me the chance to get out of the shadows and live my life without fear of deportation. I was able to get a driver's license, go to college, and start a career.

But in recent years, DACA has become a political football. The Trump administration tried to end the program, but the courts have blocked that move. Now, Republicans and Democrats are using DACA as a bargaining chip in negotiations over immigration reform. Dreamers are being held hostage to political games.

It's cruel and shortsighted. Dreamers are not bargaining chips. They are our friends, our neighbors, our colleagues. They are Americans in all but name.

Dreamers have a message for politicians: stop using us as pawns in your games. We are not criminals. We are not a threat. We are simply young people who want to live our lives and contribute to our communities. We deserve a permanent solution, not a temporary fix.

I urge everyone to contact their elected officials and demand that they pass a permanent solution for Dreamers. This is not just about politics. It's about human lives. It's about the future of our country.

I am proud to be a Dreamer. I am proud of my Mexican heritage and my American upbringing. I am proud of the contributions I have made to my community. I am hopeful that one day, I will be able to become a citizen of the country I call home.

But I know that until that day comes, Dreamers will continue to face challenges. We will continue to be used as a political football. We will continue to be told that we are not welcome here.

But we will not give up. We will continue to fight for our rights. We will continue to demand a permanent solution. We will not be silenced.