On September 5, 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Trump administration would end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which shields young undocumented immigrants from deportation and grants them temporary legal status, which allows them to work, study and contribute to their local communities. The administration’s six-month “phase out” would end the DACA program on March 5, 2018. The action has created a climate of fear and uncertainty for DACA recipients and their extended families.
More than 80 percent of “Dreamers” were brought to the United States by parents from Mexico and Central America, according to the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). Many of them were fleeing violence and seeking a better future. Much of that violence and limited life chances is a result of U.S. foreign policy and military, economic, political and covert intervention in the region. They're here, because the United States is there.
About LASA
The Latin American Studies Association (LASA) is the largest professional association in the world for individuals and institutions engaged in the study of Latin America. With over 13,000 members, over 60% of whom reside outside the United States, LASA is the one association that brings together experts on Latin America from all disciplines and diverse occupational endeavors, across the globe. LASA's mission is to foster intellectual discussion, research, and teaching on Latin America, the Caribbean, and its people throughout the Americas, promote the interests of its diverse membership, and encourage civic engagement through network building and public debate.
If you wish to interview a LASA Executive Council member, you can contact the LASA communications office at (412) 648-7929 or send an email to lasa@lasaweb.org.