With DACA, Dreams come TRUE

Figure 1: Hi, I'm Jamal

Hi, I'm Jamal and my family and I have recently moved from Syria to the United States due to wars and poverty going on in our homeland. When we moved to the United States my parents had to get new jobs and my sister and I had to go to a new school. In class one day, Mrs. Stevens asked, "What do you aspire to be when you grow up?" Since I just moved and my parents did not have jobs yet, I was confused because I didn't know what I could be. I remembered when we were back in Syria my dad, Mohammad was a supportive and intelligent doctor. I told Mrs Stevens, "I want to be a doctor just like my dad was when we lived back in Syria." So, I settled on my journey to becoming a doctor...but how could I do this since I only moved to the United States a year ago and I'm only 13?

Figure 3: Confused Jamal

Well, my sister Fatima is 5 years older than me and she told me about a government program created by President Obama (1) that helped her get a job even though she was an immigrant from Syria just like me! The program is called DACA and it provides a way to help children like me who were not born in the United States who want to go to college and eventually make a career for themselves. 

Without DACA my sister and I would never be able to get the education or find careers we want to pursue because we would not have the opportunities that natural born citizens currently have. This means without DACA I would never be able to become a prestigious doctor. DACA can provided me with years of education, practice and possible work opportunities (1), so I can earn my chance at becoming a helpful and knowledgeable doctor just like my dad.

Although, DACA may not work for all children, like me it gives us a lot more possibilities to create a better life. We all have dreams about what we want to do when we become grown ups. So with DACA all you have to do is dream it, believe in yourself and do it! I can't wait to be a doctor and make a difference in someone else's life!

Figure 5: Jamal's dad, Mohammad, doctor 

Figure 4: A+ Grade from DACA

Deferred

Action

Childhood

Arrivals

DACA is how Dreams come TRUE!!

References:

(Figure 1) Boy student with his bag. [Clipart] (2017). Retrieved from: https://classroomclipart.com 

(Figure 2) Boy confused and pulling hair. [Clipart] (2017). Retrieved from: https://classroomclipart.com 

(Figure 3) Grade A plus paper. [Clipart] (2017). Retrieved from: https://classroomclipart.com 

(Figure 4) Doctor wearing white coat. [Clipart] (2017). Retrieved from: https://classroomclipart.com 
(1) Amuedo-Dorantes, C., & Puttitannum, T. (2016). DACA and the surge in unaccomplished minors at the US-Mexico border. International Migration, 54(4). doi: 10.1111/imig,12250.