They Call Us Bruce - Episode 21: They Call Us Dreamers

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.



What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. Each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

This week, we welcome Esther Yu-Hsi Lee, immigration reporter for ThinkProgress and a Dreamer herself, to discuss the personal and community impact of immigration policy on the heels of the Trump administration's decision to eliminate DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals).

Trump Likely to End DACA - Here's What You Can Do Now

By Jenn Fang. Cross-Posted from Reappropriate.


Activists at the DREAM Action protest action in front of the White House on August 16, 2017.
(Photo credit: NAKASEC)
Politico broke the news earlier today that President Donald Trump has decided to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which had provided deportation protection and employment authorization for registered undocumented immigrants who had been brought to the United States as children. The program had been implemented by the Obama administration in 2012, and enjoys broad popularity in the United States.

Trump had promised to end DACA on the campaign trail, but had been flip-flopping on the issue since his inauguration. However, facing threats from the attorneys general of ten Republican states, Trump now appears to have decided to eliminate the DACA program, throwing the fate of over 700,000 so-called "Dreamers" -- including over 100,000 Dreamers from Asian countries -- into question.

Why are these Asian Americans camped out in front of the White House?

Youth from NAKASEC and other groups are leading a 24-hour, 22-day vigil to defend DACA.



Right now, Asian American youth from NAKASEC (National Korean American Service & Education Consortium) and other groups are leading a 24-hour, 22-day vigil in front of the White House to call attention to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and defend thousands of immigrant youth who are under threat of deportation if the Trump administration should end the program.

DACA was initiated under President Obama in 2012. The executive order allowed undocumented youth to come forward, undergo a rigorous background check, pay a fee and receive temporary legal status that allows them to have work permits and drivers licenses. Since the program's inception, nearly 800,000 beneficiaries -- including 130,000 Asian Americans -- have been granted permission to live, work and study legally in America.

But now, DACA and the futures of thousands are at risk.

In June, a coalition of ten state attorney generals, led by Texas, threatened legal action if Trump didn't make moves to rescind DACA by September 5. As it stands, DACA is "currently under review," with an update expected any day now. Trump is reportedly leaning towards ending the program.

That's almost 800,000 people who came forward with the government's promise of protection who would now be at risk of deportation. Who would lose their jobs. Who would be forced back into the shadows.

Under Trump, Dreamers -- But Not Parents -- Will Be Allowed to Remain in U.S.

By Jenn Fang. Cross-Posted from Reappropriate.



In a surprise announcement on the 5th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the Trump administration announced yesterday that it would reverse one of the president's campaign promises and would instead continue the popular federal program. Founded in 2012, DACA granted renewable permits to undocumented immigrants who had been brought into the United States as children, protecting them from deportation and allowing them to work.

However, yesterday also saw U.S. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly sign a memorandum to roll back a program proposed by the Obama administration in 2014 called Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA). DAPA was intended to provide legal protections for the undocumented parents of American citizens or residents in an effort to not break up immigrant families. That program was never put into place due to legal challenges in federal court filed by 26 states led by Republican governors.

In January, Trump was quoted as saying about undocumented immigrants, "They are here illegally. They shouldn't be very worried. I do have a big heart. We're going to take care of everybody." However, it is clear by yesterday's dual announcements that the Trump administration is less interested in "taking care of everybody", and more interested in taking care of Trump's approval rating.