Juan's Story: Undocumented but Not Un-American
by dchin, Tue Apr 01, 2008 at 02:57:13 PM EST
At what point did we as a nation decide to pick and choose who to grant opportunity? At the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) Summit this year, I was deeply moved by one story of an undocumented youth --- a story that shines a harsh light on our nation.
Juan came to this nation as an immigrant from Colombia, believing instead that his family was visiting Disney World. Now at 18, he is told that when he graduates, he will be deported, that he will no longer exist.
Juan dreams of becoming an aerospace engineer, to work at NASA. And, because of a broken immigration system, Juan's dream becomes more fantasy than reality.
How is this fair?
Have we become so removed from our values of love and compassion that we turn a blind eye on Juan and thousands of youth like him?
I hope not.
Sally Kohn of the Movement Vision Lab writes:[A]s a nation, we are blessed by the bounty of generation upon generation of immigrants who have come to our borders and our shores to make a better life for themselves and, in so doing, make a better country for us all. It is the nation that, despite its hiccups and growing pains on the path to justice, is one that we should be proud to love. And Juan, like millions waiting at the gates of the American dream, loves his country and asks for our love in return.
If we truly examine our core values as a nation, I am certain that they would lead us towards a politics of inclusion. And if we were able to exercise those values in our communities, youth like Juan would be free to follow their dreams.
Check out the video interview of Juan hereAnd I for one am supporting fair and just immigration reform and building a better America for all of us by
signing this pledge.
Tags: immigration, dream act, deportation, community, values, progressive (all tags)
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