The DREAMers: The Legalization of DACA and the DREAMer Movement in Oregon
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Date
2023-05
Authors
Carrillo Contreras, Jacqueline
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
This thesis will analyze the fight for immigrant rights in Oregon and more broadly, how undocumented immigrants, minority youth, and other marginalized groups advance immigrant rights. The thesis will begin with early immigration policies at a national level, narrowing down to local state policies and immigrant rights organizations. Further, this thesis will analyze how the DREAMer immigration movement in Oregon impacted undocumented individuals and how the DACA passage has benefited the lives of undocumented youth. This will include a historical analysis of immigration and anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States and in Oregon, along with restrictive policies and laws that were in place before the passage of DACA. Within the topic of immigration, there are both positive and negative attitudes toward DACA as a social and political solution to immigration. Moreover, there are various arguments on what the best pathway to citizenship is, each with its own social forces that support and oppose these efforts. This thesis argues that although DACA provides effective temporary relief, more work needs to be done to secure the lives of immigrant communities and undocumented children. Over the past two decades, undocumented youth have changed the idea of what it means to be an immigrant, which will be discussed throughout this paper. Many organizations, in Oregon and beyond, have helped undocumented immigrants mobilize and lay the groundwork for immigrant rights and advocate for the recognition of the social and economic benefits immigrants provide. Within this thesis, I will draw on organizations such as PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste) and CAUSA. Through the use of historical analysis and journalistic accounts, we will discuss the individuals in the DREAMer movement, how the passage of DACA has impacted their lives, and the possible future of immigration laws. The importance of immigration reform and immigration policy is essential, as policies are constantly changing. At the end of this thesis, current immigration policies will be discussed, as well as possible outcomes of the future of DACA.
Description
52 pages
Keywords
immigration, DACA, Oregon, Mobilization, DREAMers