SEPTEMBER 15, 2017, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A9
DENIED,
continued from Page A1
fence and into the United
States.
In exchange for registering
under DACA, the federal
government agreed not to
deport Nicolas and allowed him
to apply for a renewable two-
year work permit. The permit
came with a social security
number that meant he could be
paid above-the-table and enjoy
the protections afforded other
American workers.
“I was excited about the
things I could do like being
able to go to college, being able
to drive, being able to travel
within the United States, being
able to contribute and really
get involved. I felt empowered
to basically have no obstacles,”
Nicolas said.
Last week, President Donald
Trump and Attorney General Jeff
Sessions slapped an expiration
date on Nicolas' American
dreams. DACA privileges will
be rescinded for Nicolas and
800,000 other undocumented
youths, collectively known as
Dreamers, registered through
the program. Their best hope
now is Congress coming up
with an alternative by March 5,
2018. In the wake of the action
by the Trump administration,
Oregon joined 14 other states
and the District of Columbia
in a lawsuit to block the
termination of the program.
Another suit to stop the DACA
wind down was fi led by three
additional states on Monday,
Sept. 11.
While those lawsuits travel
through the judicial system,
Nicolas and his younger
brother and sister, who are also
registered through DACA, are
recalibrating their plans.
Last year, Nicolas decided
to take time off from earning
his degree at the University
of Oregon to focus on saving
money if Trump's campaign
promises to end DACA ever
came to fruition. With some
of the money he and his
brother were socking away,
they planned to purchase their
father a new car, maybe even a
new home for their parents. His
family sold their car to afford
the fees and attorney costs
associated with Hugo's initial
DACA application.
“All that's kind of on-hold
now,” Nicolas said.
But, truthfully, the impact of
Trump's words began having an
effect on Nicolas long before it
was announced DACA would
be rescinded.
“I feel like he is
trying to paint a picture
of immigrants as bad
people who are only
bringing crime and
other problems. It's
totally the opposite of
what we have done
with deferred action,”
Nicolas said. Nicolas is
currently working as a
personal banker with
plans to start earning
his investment licenses this
month. “It has also made me
pay more attention to the
announcements coming from
the administration every week.
I have to be aware and more
careful with all the changes that
are happening.”
Between the president's
words and actions and the
vocal support of both from
his fans, Nicolas fi nds himself
questioning how others view
him and more driven to tell his
story, the crux of which is in
that middle school vow.
Even then, Nicolas wanted to
go to college. He had his sights
on a military or Ivy League
school. His undocumented
status would have stood in the
way of both.
“Thinking about college in
high school was depressing and
I felt so ashamed,” he said. Still,
he wanted to prove his value.
He is reconsidering his plans
for taking a year off school with
the notion that fi nishing his
education is it's own form of
rebelling against the labels some
would stick on him.
Deferred Action recipients
have also found resilience in
numbers.
“We're more politically
involved than we were and
we've become more united
because we can travel and learn
from each other,” he said.
For those who want to help
prevent DACA from winding
down, Nicolas said there are
two ways to act locally. First,
contact Oregon Rep. Greg
Walden, and tell him you
support the Dreamers. Oregon's
other
representatives
and
senators have already voiced
their support.
The second is more personal
and, potentially, more of a
challenge: be vocal in your
support of Dreamers wherever
you go.
“When Trump is saying
things about immigrants that
are not true, it makes me hold
back more because I don't
know if that's the way people
really see me,” he said. “When
I see someone who never
supported immigration reform
now offering encouragement,
that means everything.”
the “Hugo Rule” was
approved. The rule still
stands, but was tweaked
for exchange students
to be part of the youth
councilor program.
Once he registered
for Deferred Action,
the college door swung
open. He started taking
— Hugo Nicolas classes at Chemeketa
while working three
jobs,
eventually
At McNary, Nicolas was
transferring
to
the
University
a star pupil and an athlete. If
there was a project that needed of Oregon.
“I could fi nally stand up and
volunteers, he would usually
be found on the site. He was a show what I could do if people
Keizer Fire District Explorer, allowed me that opportunity. I
a Keizer Police Department also knew that I was following
Cadet, and even served as the a procedure and didn't have
youth councilor to the Keizer to worry about what would
happen tomorrow,” he said.
City Council.
Nicolas is altering some of
“Being
undocumented,
his
plans, but he is also feeling
there is risk in everything you
do – even if you are doing a renewed sense of purpose. He
something good,” Nicolas said. bristles at the language used
It was the last post, in 2012, by Trump and Sessions when
where things began to unravel talking about immigrants.
“The way Jeff Sessions
a bit. Near the end of his year
talked
about Dreamers made
as youth councilor, someone
us
sound
like criminals and not
alerted the city council to
contributing.
We're teachers
Nicolas' undocumented status.
It prompted councilors to and nurses and attorneys and
propose a policy change that bankers. If someone needs
would bar non-citizens from representation and can't afford
taking on the youth councilor it or needs tuition assistance,
position.
Despite
public there is a whole group that
outcry in council chambers, chips in to help support them,”
he said.
“Being undocumented,
there is risk in
everything you do –
even if you are doing
something good.”
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