{"id":46609,"date":"2016-11-16T22:29:37","date_gmt":"2016-11-17T04:29:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/?p=46609"},"modified":"2016-11-18T11:50:47","modified_gmt":"2016-11-18T17:50:47","slug":"immigrant-community-finds-way-forward-after-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/immigrant-community-finds-way-forward-after-election\/","title":{"rendered":"Immigrant community finds way forward after election"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Alex Ortiz<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t tell them that things were going to be OK,\u201d Jose Mu\u00f1oz recalls\u00a0as he and undocumented students\u00a0watched election night returns Nov. 8 in Pilsen. \u201cAll I could tell them was that we are there to support them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Students gathered at Resurrection Project that night hoping for an altogether different result than the election of a presidential candidate, who has repeatedly promised to deport undocumented residents, including college students who sought sanctuary under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA<\/a>). \u00a0As the night went on and they realized Donald Trump was, indeed, the president-elect, Mu\u00f1oz, vice president of community ownership, consoled one of the undocumented students who cried.<\/span>
\n
\n\u201cIt was just a moment where I just ended up holding the guy,\u201d Mu\u00f1oz said. \u201cI just sat there with them, and really it was just a hug and talking through that moment with them and being their for them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A new, terrifying reality set in as students considered the prospect of being sent back to a country they did not call home. They would lose the opportunity to work and earn money legally and be unable to continue their college education. Since DACA is an executive order signed by President Obama in 2012, Trump can rescind the order on Day One of his presidency, something he already said he would do<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

DACA allows for immigrants brought to the United States illegally, many by their parents, before age 16 who did not have a criminal background to receive renewable two-year work permits and be exempt from deportation. Mu\u00f1oz knew other students like the one who needed a hug on election night would take the news hard as well. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Resurrection Project immediately planned discussions and workshops to help stressed out students figure out what to do next. <\/span><\/p>\n

For example, attendees learned about renewing their DACA permits and applying to become a legal resident. The project\u2019s managing attorney, Julie Reiter Pellerite, gave individual counseling to students and their families.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as the decision was announced, I received emails that next morning,\u201d Pellerite said. \u201cWe received lots of calls and people coming in just mostly scared and afraid of the unknown.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

These efforts echoed efforts across the country to declare sanctuary cities<\/a> safe for immigrants in spite of the new administration\u2019s threat of deportation. For example Mayor Rahm Emanuel reasserted Chicago\u2019s status as a sanctuary city saying: \u201cChicago has been a city of immigrants since it was founded. We have always welcomed people of all faiths and backgrounds, and while the administration will change, our values and our commitment to inclusion will not.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Other cities<\/a> like New York City and Seattle made similar vows. About 30 major cities around the country, most of which are Democratic strongholds, are considered sanctuary cities or have said they will not to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in rounding up undocumented immigrants. <\/span><\/p>\n

Nallely Silva, 22, is a volunteer with the Resurrection Project when she\u2019s not working full-time as an events manager. DACA helped her work and get through college, and this is how she gives back.<\/span><\/p>\n

Silva said she\u2019s \u201cgrieving\u201d over the election, and though she\u2019s typically outgoing, she was virtually speechless for two days afterward. Some of her friends did not understand and were apathetic to her concerns as a DACA recipient. <\/span><\/p>\n

Friends told her “it\u2019s gonna be alright. Don\u2019t worry about it. Nothing\u2019s going to happen to you,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd I think to tell somebody that they\u2019re going to be OK when someone has directly told you they\u2019re going to make sure you\u2019re not OK, it\u2019s very hard.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Silva said she had faith her country would not elect Trump, calling the choice \u201cheartbreaking\u201d and her faith \u201ccompletely misguided.\u201d She said they are stuck with the results and they have to move on.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s people they see every day who are Dreamers<\/a>, who are undocumented, who are immigrants, who are gay or who are pro-choice, people who in this election are the enemy,\u201d Silva said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s important for all of us who are threatened by Donald Trump to show those people who do not have to worry about the things that he\u2019s trying to terrorize us with to make sure they understand why it\u2019s important.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Photo at top: The Resurrection Project hosts a DACA renewal workshop at the La Casa Resource Center in Pilsen on Nov. 15, for undocumented workers concerned President-elect Donald Trump will remove\u00a0the executive order. (Alex Ortiz\/MEDILL)<\/div>\n

Save<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Alex Ortiz \u201cI couldn\u2019t tell them that things were going to be OK,\u201d Jose Mu\u00f1oz recalls\u00a0as he and undocumented students\u00a0watched election night returns Nov. 8 in Pilsen. \u201cAll I could tell them was that we are there to support them.\u201d Students gathered at Resurrection Project that night hoping for an altogether different result than […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":289,"featured_media":46610,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2941,2951,30,675],"tags":[3362,3363,2126,601,2805,3364],"class_list":["post-46609","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fall-2016","category-politicsnational-security","category-public-affairs","category-social-justice","tag-daca","tag-deport","tag-deportation","tag-immigration","tag-sanctuary","tag-work-permit"],"yoast_head":"\nImmigrant community finds way forward after election - 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