DACA has once again been in the spotlight with it being the primary issue that lead to the government shutdown and potentially threatens another. DACA is an issue that is important to Chabot college due to us having a large population of Dreamer students. At the board of trustees recently declaring us a sanctuary campus like many other Californian campuses.
Chabot’s, status as a sanctuary campus means that we will not cooperate with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should they ask for records or attempt to apprehend a student on campus. This is made redundant by ICE’s policy of not apprehending people in “sensitive” areas such as schools and churches. Yet, under the Trump administration ICE has been much more proactive. According to The New York Times raiding a total of 98 7-Eleven’s in January resulting in 23 arrests.

In the short term, DACA recipients should have nothing to fear despite Attorney General Jeff Sessions announcing the end of DACA. The Chabot College Dream team recently sent out an email stating as of January 13, 2018, U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it will again accept DACA renewal applications as a result of a recent order issued by a U.S. District Court.

Chabot has its own Dreamers Club that according to the group’s president Jacklen a first-year math major, “is to create awareness and support for undocumented people at chabot.” She went on to state the group provides scholarship information, guest speaker and group support for its members.

Chabot’s Dreamers club isn’t just for the undocumented, they accept allies as well. One such ally is Savannah a 1st-year business major. Savannah joined because “My friend was undocumented and a few of her family members and I knew of the fear and anxiety they face.”

President Donald Trump has stepped away from Mexico funding his border wall in the short term and sought to get the funding from Congress. But with Democrats opposed to constructing the wall along with any member of his party. President Trump has attempted to use DACA as leverage to strike a deal with Democrats. The disagreement lead to the first government shutdown with the ruling party holding the majority seats in Congress since Jimmy Carter.

Chabot Dreamer club meets on Thursdays at noon in room 506. DACAs future remains uncertain for the foreseeable future while both political parties seem to be unwilling to compromise.