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09.05.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
Students speak out about deferred action program
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BY ALEX EMSLIE | aemslie@mail.sfsu.edu
RESIDENT BARACK Obama’s unilateral change in immigration enforcement policy, announced June 15, could afford many undocumented students an opportunity U.S. citizens may take for granted — the chance to legally work in
their fields of study. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program does not formally change any U.S. law. Rather, it is a discretionary directive to defer the deportation — for two years — of law-abiding undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children and are current students, high-school graduates or GED holders, or honorably discharged veterans. The program also allows qualifying undocumented immigrants to apply for temporary work permits. For one undocumented SF State nursing student — who asked only to be identified as “Anne” because she fears repercussions from immigration enforcement and her community — deferred action relief means a chance at a nursing career. Anne applied for the DACA program a few days after forms became available Aug. 15. “Ever since I was young, I wanted to become a nurse,” she said. “It’s in me to just help people.” Many undocumented immigrants remain skeptical and even fearful of Obama, who has presided over tens of thousands more deportations than any other president through the controversial program Secure Communities, or S-Comm. S-Comm requires local police to automatically send the fingerprints of anyone they book to the Department of Homeland Security. Despite long-standing DHS policy not to deport law-abiding or low-level offending undocumented immigrants, more than one-quarter of those deported through the S-Comm program in California have never been convicted of a crime, according to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement data. The California Assembly and Senate have answered S-Comm with the Trust Act, or AB 1081, which would require local law enforcement to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs En-
forcement only in cases in which the undocumented immigrant has been convicted of a serious felony. State representatives sent the Trust Act to Gov. Jerry Brown Aug. 24. The DACA requirement that undocumented residents register themselves and family members’ information with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a bureau of the same federal department that oversees immigration deportations, is an additional source of worry. “That has been fueling a lot of the confusion and skepticism,” said Jen Low, immigrants’ rights community advocate at the Asian Law Caucus. “We believe that the Obama administration is doing this in good faith and that they will not hand over family member information to ICE.” One undocumented San Francisco resident, who requested anonymity because he fears immigration enforcement, called the DACA program “the DREAM Act light” referring to the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act. The DREAM Act has been introduced into every U.S. congressional session since 2001, but it has yet to pass both houses. The DACA program differs from the DREAM Act in that it could be terminated by the president at any time, and does not provide a pathway to permanent residency like the DREAM Act would. “I hope dreamers don’t stop fighting for their rights,” the undocumented resident said. “People might get relaxed because some people might be able to get work permits, and they will stop with the movement.” Low acknowledged that the DACA program equates to a somewhat mixed message from the Obama administration. “We have one program for dreamers that are eligible and one for others that are sitting in detention centers around the countries without any hopes of relief,” she said. “Deferred action is a temporary solution. We’re really hoping that we can pass the DREAM Act in the next couple of years.” Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has publicly stated that he would veto the DREAM Act. The 2012 GOP platform, unveiled at the beginning of the Republican National Convention Aug.
NEW OPPORTUNITY: Emmanuel Valenciano, 24, a biology major at SF State, applied for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program Aug. 15. He moved to the U.S. from the Phillipines when he was 13 years old. Photo by Jamie Balaoro
28, outlined some of the party’s planned immigration policies. “In order to restore the rule of law, federal funding should be denied to sanctuary cities that violate federal law and endanger their own citizens, and federal funding should be denied to universities that provide instate tuition rates to illegal aliens, in open defiance of federal law,” the platform states. San Francisco is a sanctuary city and SF State offers in-state tuition rates to undocumented students under its AB 540 program. Low said that even if Romney wins, it would be difficult to deport the huge number of people applying for DACA relief. “Being that it is an executive program, it’s administrative relief, Obama could terminate it at any time, and so could Romney if he wins in November,” she said. “It is very unfeasible for the U.S to detain and deport all of those under this program, though, and it would be a civil rights catastrophe.” Anne talked about the hurt she feels when she hears the words “illegal immigrant,” and said she hopes her generation can shed its apathy and try to care. “I bet you that you know one undocumented immigrant and you wouldn’t even know it. You wouldn’t know how they’re suffering and how they feel when you say something callous. They’re also a mother, a child, a classmate. They could be your teacher. They contribute to society. Many undocumented immigrants contribute, pay taxes, they do,” she said. “They’re just you and me, you know?”
City plans to install 900 new meters BY NOEMY MENA | mena@mail.sfsu.edu
More meters around AT&T Park and
Drivers, start digging under those couch cushions tation or carpool to save cash — or just avoid the area if Mission Bay could make parking because soon that spare change could be needed to feed possible.” more difficult and expensive the hundreds of new meters set for installation in San Businesses and residents, on the other hand, welcome Francisco. the new meters into their neighborhood. “This plan is meant to provide effective parking Stacy O’Connell, 18, an undeclared freshman, recently management that makes parking available, eases congestion and allows Muni to run fastmoved to the nearby South of Market neighborhood in hopes of grasping city life. She said er,” said Paul Rose, spokesman for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. she moved to San Francisco because it is a city that is designed for public transportation. In an effort to improve the efficiency of transportation, whether public or private, “There’s no need for a car in San Francisco and I favor any proposal that would the city of San Francisco is planning to add 900 parking meters. According to Rose, the bring money into Muni,” said O’Connell, a Modesto native. “If that wasn’t the case, I funds from the new meters will help operate Muni, the seventh largest transit system in could have stayed home.” the country. Similarly, Bernard Birch, owner of Radical Tan on King Street supports the SFMThe new meters will be added mainly in Mission Bay, a neighborhood known for its TA’s decision because the agency would control an area where parking spaces are biotech companies, and AT&T Park, potentially affecting tens of thousands of Giants’ fans and becoming scarce. patrons visiting this vibrant part of the city. “Overall, anywhere in San Francisco is going to be an issue to park,” Birch said. Although adding the new meters may bring money to San Francisco, some are against “There’s more cars than parking spots. Plus the city knows what they’re doing.” the additions because it could result in customers being turned away from the area. The average meter rate can fluctuate from 50 cents up to $6 an hour, depending on Morris Davis, 37, regularly visits the adjacent South Beach neighborhood and relies its location and demand. Special events can increase the fee up to $7 per hour. on the free parking near South and Third streets, but new meters may turn him away Rose also commented on a speculated plan that more meters could appear in other from spending evenings in the area. sections of the city, including along Sloat Boulevard near the San Francisco Zoo. “I’m concerned implementing new meters would lead to price hikes for parking “There is no formal zoo plan,” Rose said. “It was mentioned to the supervisor (Sean (lots) during game nights,” Davis said. “If this is the case I may opt for public transporElsbernd) to gather feedback as a potential option going forward.”