Things That Matter

Thousands Nationwide Protest The End Of DACA And Vow To Defend It

By September 5, 2017 at 2:52 pm

Before the White House officially announced the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, people nationwide were prepared to fight. There had been speculation about the fate of DACA for weeks: President Donald Trump had spoken about the program unfavorably in the past, and then shifted somewhat more recently, saying he would show some heart. Despite the rhetoric, there was no definite conclusion as to what the President would announce today.

In a last-minute attempt, DACA supporters pleaded with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump with a vigil outside their home. Alas, that didn’t stop the White House from rescinding the DACA program. When official word came this morning by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, people were already in the streets demanding justice.

Here’s how people all over the country came out to support DACA.

Washington D.C.

While protestors took to the streets in support of DACA, senators Lindsey Graham (R) and Dick Durbin (D), who reintroduced the DREAM Act to the Senate in July, held a press conference to discuss the proposed law that would provide a pathway to permanent residency to undocumented people who came here as minors. In the press conference, both senators pushed for a bipartisan plan to protect undocumented people from deportation.

Vowing to reach a positive resolution, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham told DACA beneficiaries: “You have done nothing wrong.”

Connecticut

DACA rally, ECSU.

A post shared by Katie Corrado (@katiecorrado) on

While some students held a rally at Eastern Connecticut State University, another group of Connecticut residents were already on their way to D.C. The Connecticut Mirror is reporting that 40 DREAMers are heading to the nation’s capital for a protest alongside other DREAMers.

Phoenix

Elsewhere in Phoenix, social media reporter Cydney Henderson tweeted that “at least 100 South Mountain High students” marched to the Phoenix police department to support DACA and demand that police be removed from their campus.

San Francisco

Oakland Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee tweeted, “Ending #DACA is cruel and heartless. Congress must act now to protect #DREAMers and pass comprehensive reform once and for all.”

New York City

Members of Movimiento Cosecha sat down and locked hands in front of Trump Tower. Several members were arrested, including nine DACA recipients.

ABC News is reporting that at least 34 people have been arrested at protests in New York City without incident.

Los Angeles

A protest is planned for 5 p.m. at La Placita Olvera in Downtown Los Angeles.

Democratic Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon told the Los Angeles Times: “The Dreamers who were brought to this country as young children, who are American to their core, deserve better.” Rendon added, “The Legislature will do everything we can working with local governments, universities and schools to keep these young people secure, safe and here where they belong.”

Raleigh, North Carolina

“This whole political debate is absolutely ridiculous. The concept of illegality is not real, we were not born illegal,” 20-year-old Jorge Ramos, who is a DACA recipient, said at a protest in Raleigh, according to the News & Observer. “This is all just a complex facade to further criminalize our people and exploit us for our cheap labor and unmerited contributions to this country. All we want to do is go to school and work. Why is that so hard to swallow…I know that in the end, justice will be on our side. Don’t be discouraged. We are worth so much more than this and we are here to stay.”

Denver

News reports estimate that about 1,100 Denver students walked out of class this morning to protest the DACA announcement.

San Jose

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said in a press release that he will support DACA recipients in his city.

“The Attorney General’s announcement of the Trump Administration’s rescission of DACA abandons 800,000 of America’s hardest-working, most patriotic residents,” Liccardo said. “Punting the issue to Congress, without any affirmative leadership to enact a legislative solution, amounts to a cowardly cop-out, placing the futures of these young women and men in serious jeopardy.”

San Diego

San Diego Rep. Susan Davis says that ending the program will have a negative effect on the economy. “He has not only put them at risk, but our economy at risk as well. While it’s sad that Trump is siding with the worst elements of his administration, it’s not surprising given his past rhetoric on immigration,” Davis said in a statement.

Miami

“If they take DACA away, I hope they do something permanent for us,” 20-year-old Javiera Garate told The Miami Herald. “Not just take away the entire opportunity. If they do that, what do we do?”

Boston

U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey tweeted: “We will #DefendDACA so that all Dreamers in Massachusetts have the same chance to succeed. #DACAWorks”

Chicago

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel tweeted: “President Trump’s decision to end #DACA strikes a blow against our core American values and is an affront to basic human decency.”

READ: The Trump Administration Has Officially Rescinded DACA. Here’s What You Need To Know.

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A Ted Cruz Piñata Exists And People Want One So Bad

Culture

A Ted Cruz Piñata Exists And People Want One So Bad

By February 24, 2021 at 1:19 pm
BY  | February 24, 2021 AT 1:19 pm

Sen. Ted Cruz has reached peak infamy with a piñata in his honor. People have been turned into piñatas over the years for both good and bad reasons. The Cruz piñata serves as a reminder of the senator’s attempt to flee the brutal Texas winter crisis.

A Texas party store is selling piñatas of Sen. Ted Cruz and people are into it.

Piñatas are always the centerpiece of a fun party and they are even more exciting when they are topical. One party shop in Texas is riding on the wave of local and national news criticizing Sen. Cruz to cash in.

Last week Sen. Cruz was caught boarding a United flight to Cancún, Mexico to escape the winter storm devastating Texas. As millions of Texans survived without water and power, the Cruz family booked a Mexican getaway to warmer weather and reliable electricity.

At first, Sen. Cruz tried to blame his daughters for fleeing Texas as his constituents suffered from the weather. He soon changed his story and claimed that he realized he had made a mistake as soon as he sat down on the plane waiting to depart from Houston.

Finally, after days of speculation, someone came forward and leaked text messages from Sen. Cruz’s wife, Heidi. Turns out, according to the texts, that the Cruz family was actively planning a vacation to avoid the snowstorm. According to the texts, the Cruz family was trying to convince neighbors and friends to join them so they can get out of their freezing house. The criticism amplified when it was reported that the Cruz family left the family dog behind as they fled to Mexico.

People are eager to get their hands on a Sen. Cruz piñata.

Families have been in quarantine for almost a year and they are hitting a wall. Now that the weather is starting to warm up, it is no surprise that people would want to have something to do together outdoors. Seems that a lot of people would like a piñata party to celebrate the bad weather slowly moving out.

There are even some people asking for different people made as piñatas.

You never know unless you ask, right? Never hurts to try to make your own request to better your birthday. It seems that the party store is able to make various different piñatas. The party store made a piñata after Sen. Bernie Sanders’ famous mitten moment at President Biden’s inauguration.

READ: Sen. Ted Cruz Makes Quick U-Turn From Mexico After Outrage He Abandoned His Frozen Texas

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Alejandro Mayorkas Is The First Latino And Immigrant To Be Named Secretary Of The Department Of Homeland Security

Things That Matter

Alejandro Mayorkas Is The First Latino And Immigrant To Be Named Secretary Of The Department Of Homeland Security

By February 8, 2021 at 11:41 am
BY  | February 8, 2021 AT 11:41 am

Alejandro Mayorkas is the first Latino and the first immigrant to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Mayorkas is Cuban-born and was one of the original architects of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Alejandro Mayorkas is the first Latino and immigrant to be confirmed as the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Secretary Mayorkas is inheriting a Trump-era DHS and is immediately getting to work to rectify issues that the Biden administration has highlighted. Two of the most pressing issues are heading up a task force to reunite migrant families who were separated by the previous administration and reviewing the “Remain in Mexico” policy.

“Remain in Mexico” is a policy that the Trump administration created and enforced that sent migrants to Mexico to await their asylum cases. The policy has been criticized both by U.S. and international politicians as a humanitarian issue.

It isn’t Mayorkas’ first time working for DHS.

Sec. Mayorkas was the deputy secretary of DHS from December 2013 – October 2016 under President Barack Obama. During that time, Mayorkas was crucial in responding to the 2013 – 14 Ebola virus epidemic and 2015 – 16 Zika virus epidemic. Mayorkas is ready to come back to the department and to bring back what he sees are the department’s mission.

“DHS bears an extraordinary weight on behalf of the American people, the weight of grave challenges seen and unseen,” Sec. Mayorkas said in a statement. “It is the greatest privilege of my life to return to the Department to lead the men and women who dedicate their talent and energy to the safety and security of our nation. I will work every day to ensure that they have the tools they need to execute their missions with honor and integrity. The mission of the Department of Homeland Security is to safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values. The United States is a welcoming and empathetic nation, one that finds strength in its diversity. I pledge to defend and secure our country without sacrificing these American values.”

Mayorkas is no stranger to working on America’s immigration system.

Mayorkas is one of the original architects of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which is at stake because of the previous administration. The Biden administration has made a promise to preserve DACA and to create a pathway to citizenship to the 11 million undocumented people living in the U.S.

President Biden has introduced legislation to reform the current immigration system. The legislation has a timeframe for all undocumented people in the U.S. to become citizens if they follow certains steps and meet certain criteria.

While Mayorkas got bipartisan support in the Senate confirmation, some Republicans did not like his work in immigration. Sen. Marco Rubio, a fellow Cuban, voted to opposed Mayorkas.

“Not only has Mayorkas pledged to undo the sensible protections put in place by the Trump Administration that ended the dangerous policy of catch and release, but his nomination is further evidence that the Biden Administration intends to pursue a radical immigration agenda,” Sen. Rubio said in a statement.

READ: President Biden Introduces Legislation To Create Pathway To Citizenship For 11 Million Undocumented People

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