LatinaLista — With each passing day of the Trump administration, no group is more fearful of the changes – or campaign promises fulfilled by Trump — than undocumented young people known as DREAMers.
One DREAMer, and former LatinaLista contributor, who has made it her very public mission to get the federal government to recognize DREAMers, is Gaby Pacheco.
In fact, Gaby’s efforts were instrumental in leading to the creation of the federal program Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which is expected to be eliminated by President Trump.
Knowing that DREAMers are worried, as herself, as to what will happen, Gaby published a list of things on her Facebook page (with additions from Gaby’s professional friends or fellow DREAMers) on what people can do to prepare for the worst possible scenario — deportation.
We share with our readers Gaby’s list to better understand the real fears and repercussions of 11 million people waiting for what comes next.
1) Start saving money. I should be saving anyway, but in case DACA is taken away, it might be good to have a reserve for at least 3 months. So, if your monthly bills are $3,000 a month, then you should try to have a $9,000 reserve.
2) Make sure you know your dates. When you applied for DACA, when you renewed, and when your DACA expires. If you are waiting for your DACA renewal don’t be afraid to call USCIS and try to find ways to expedite your card arrival.
3) Get other forms of IDs. If DACA is taken away and your driver’s license expires it may be difficult to travel by plane, so it’s important to have other forms of IDs you can use in case you have to travel. In the past, I’ve used my passport, Costco membership card, prescription on my medicine bottles, my bank card with picture ID, and paper drivers license as secondary IDs to my Ecuadorian passport.
4) Refresh on the Know Your Rights aka KYR materials. You can google it and find tons of organizations that have done these materials, and if you don’t want to read, there are some good videos on youtube. Carry a KYRs card that declared your fourth and fifth amendment rights at all times on your wallet, you can print this one: https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards
5) If you bought a vehicle or a home have a plan for how you will pay for them in case you lose your job. Maybe you can rent your home, or rent a room to help pay the mortgage/rent. Perhaps you can share your car with someone or have someone take over your payments (all with people you trust, of course). And worst case scenario you can turn in your vehicle to the bank, which is better than it being repossessed.
6) If you depend on medication, talk to your doctor and see if it’s possible to get a prescription for a 3 month supply of your medications.
7) If you have health insurance, make appointments to get your annual check-up. I thought I should make an appointment to see a dentist too.
8) Follow or like local immigrant rights organizations who are trustworthy and can have information and updates.
9) Get a legal check-up if something has changed since you first applied for DACA. Did you fall in love? Did your love one become a green card holder or a citizen? Did you travel outside the country? Were you a victim of a crime or witness a crime and helped law enforcement? All these can perhaps open the door to another immigration status…you never know.
10) Take time to enjoy life. Today, I watched some funny videos, played with Milo (our English Bulldog puppy) and my husband played with my hair.
“With vigilance always, joy whenever possible.”
Additional things to do suggested by Gaby’s Facebook followers:
11) get involved in the fight for DACA and more and to protect all of our immigrant community that is threatened by more than just the cancellation of DACA. Join actions, sign petitions, make calls, tell your story, let’s fight for this together!
12) Make sure you have an ITIN via the IRS so you can work at least as a consultant/contractor. A guide can be found here: http://e4fc.org/images/E4FC_LifeAfterCollegeGuide.pdf
12.5) Folks should make sure to note that if they didn’t file taxes with an ITIN for the past three years their number has expired and they have to file for a new one (by submitting taxes with a w7). Also if their ITIN number has the middle number 78/79 that expired too as of Jan. 1, 2017 so they have to refile. If they rescinded the number when they got a SS they also have to refile. Folks can find more info at www.irs.gov.
13) Make copies of all your documents – front and back -(passports, work permits, social security cards, driver’s licenses, etc.) and keep them in a safe place.
13.5) Make sure to have an organized record of all documents proving physical presence in the US as far back as you can. And make an extra copy of all those documents, maybe store in a different location.
14) For those people who have kids. Take the time to have emergency guardianship papers in place, so your children don’t end up in foster care. You will need a cheap notary, so check with your local bank.
Gaby adds: This is like having a will. I know, us, young people don’t think about these things but I’ve lost friend tragically at an early age who had no will, we should think about this in the same way, we are not trying to alarm anyone just share some practical suggestions.
15) Get your US born kids double citizenship if they qualify. Get them their passports.
16) Seek mental health resources if you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed and alone. There are hotlines that are available 24/7 in case you can’t phone a friend.
17) Prepare a Third Privacy Waiver Form and make copies, t
his form allows a third party of your choice (congressional office, another person that is not a family member, a non-profit organization) to request any information about your detention, immigration or deportation case from an immigration enforcement agency like ICE, CBP, or USCIS18) Get a G-28 Form signed by a legal representative, an accredited representative BIA, or an attorney, always carry a copy of it in your wallet, and have extra copies at home.
19) Prepare a phone tree, in case of detention you need to have one person that can connect/activate all of the parties that you want involved in your case through calls or texts messages.Make sure you make a list of who your support network is. Who are your teachers, mentors, etc.
20) If DACA is taken away, and you lose your job, consider going to back to school. There are over 606 college and universities that signed on to a letter supporting DACA and our families. Those schools should be your first choice for undocumented friendly places. https://www.pomona.edu/…/21-college-university-presidents-c… And there are scholarships for DREAMers you can find organizations like thedream.us, DREAMzone ASU, DEEP (Dream Educational Empowerment Program) My Undocumented Life that have resources and list of scholarships.
