Young, All-American, Deported

 

(David) Morales graduated from Granite Peaks High in South Salt Lake last spring with high grades and hopes. He wanted to become a Christian pastor and start Utah’s “biggest church.” … As a high school student, Morales raised money to help homeless teens. He volunteered as a Spanish interpreter at Woodrow Wilson Elementary during parent-teacher conferences. He spoke at graduation, telling his fellow students … that they had climbed a mountain peak they once viewed as too tall to reach.

But David Morales isn’t going to get the chance to carry out his plans, reports the Salt Lake Tribune.  In January, on his way to divinity school on a Greyhound bus, he and the other passengers were stopped by immigration officials who asked if they were U.S. citizens. Morales was not – his parents had brought him here from Mexico when he was 9. Now, he faces deportation back to Mexico, where he’ll have to stay for 10 years or more before trying to return to the country where he was raised and educated.

It’s a situation that hundreds of young people find themselves in each year, as we described in our August cover story “Young, All-American, Illegal”.

These kids are brought into the U.S. from other countries by their parents and are allowed to attend school, but when they hit 18, they have no legal status; they cannot get drivers’ licenses or Social Security numbers, and can be deported back to lands completely unfamiliar to them (for example, Saad Nabeel, who’s lived in California and Texas since he was three, got sent back to Bangladesh last January; a Dallas businessman, Ralph Isenberg, has taken up his cause and is trying to get Nabeel returned to America).

The DREAM Act (Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors), which was first proposed in 2001 and again failed to pass Congress in December, would have given  undocumented youth like Nabeel and Morales a path to citizenship, either through military service or higher education. Opponents, though, see the bill as leading to full amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants.

Theresa Martinez, the University of Utah’s assistant vice president for academic outreach, finds stories like Morales’ “disheartening.” She works with students at the University of Utah, she said, who feel “hounded” by their immigration status.

“Our immigration policy is broken,” she said. “These children have been raised here. They have gone to school here. They have done nothing wrong. It doesn’t make any sense to punish them.”

The DREAM Act will no doubt be reintroduced this year, but its chances in the 112th Congress seem slim. In the meantime, Colorado is trying to pass a bill that would give undocumented youth resident tuition rates at universities (10 states already do so -- California, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin). The measure was introduced in the Colorado Senate last month, but its prospects aren't good, given the divided legislature.

Jodi Peterson is HCN's managing editor.

High Country News Classifieds
  • CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROGRAM MANAGER
    We are seeking a dedicated natural resources professional to lead FRLT's Conservation Easement Stewardship Program. This position is responsible for maintaining professional working relationships with...
  • PUBLIC PROGRAMS MANAGER
    We are looking for a hands-on leader to bring our public programs to life in Sierra Valley and across the Watershed. This role offers a...
  • MATADOR RANCH MANAGER
    The Matador Ranch Manager directs operations, communication, and maintenance for TNC Montana's Matador Ranch preserve with a focus on ecological management and restoration, grazing management,...
  • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - THRIVE HOOD RIVER (OREGON)
    Thrive Hood River (Oregon) is looking for a collaborative leader who cares deeply about Hood River's wild places, farmland and the quality of life in...
  • NORTHERN NEW MEXICO PROJECT MANAGER
    Seeking qualified Northern New Mexico Project Manager to provide expertise, leadership and support to the organization by planning, cultivating, implementing and managing land conservation activities....
  • NORTH FORK RECREATION DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR
    The NFPPRD District Administrator provides leadership and managerial services associated with the Recreation District. Facilities include a seasonal pool, ballfields, bike trails, tennis/pickleball and skateboarding....
  • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BADLANDS CONSERVATION ALLIANCE
    The Executive Director of the Badlands Conservation Alliance (BCA) builds and leads a premiere North Dakota advocacy group that serves to protect the ecology of...
  • CLIMATE FELLOW
    Application deadline: Monday, March 6th, 2023, at 5 p.m. MST. Anticipated start date: May 15, 2023 About the position Are you ready to craft an...
  • RISING LEADERS MANAGER
    Application deadline: Monday, March 27, 2023, at 5 p.m. MST Anticipated start date: May 22 or May 30, 2023 About the position Do you want...
  • SENIOR SPECIALIST, LANDSCAPE CONNECTIVITY YELLOWSTONE TO YUKON CONSERVATION INITIATIVE
    About the Organization Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y) is a joint Canada-U.S. not-for-profit organization with a mission to connect and protect wildlife habitat from...
  • VIRGINIA SPENCER DAVIS FELLOWSHIP
    High Country News, an award-winning magazine covering the communities and environment of the Western United States, seeks applicants for a Virginia Spencer Davis fellow. The...
  • GRANTS MANAGER
    The Grants Manager is a passionate information manager, fundraiser, and communicator versed in government and foundation grant and cooperative agreement writing and management, specifically to...
  • COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
    The Communications Director is a passionate communications professional versed in conservation and regenerative agriculture, as well as nonprofit communications and data management across several program...
  • EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAM DIRECTOR
    The Education and Outreach Director is a people-oriented facilitator, communications wizard, and team leader who has experience designing, managing, and fundraising for land based educational...
  • ADOBE HOME FOR SALE
    Restored traditional adobe home in No. New Mexico on 1+ acre site, irrigation water, separate large shop/studio. Please email for photos/full description.
  • HIGH COUNTRY NEWS EDITORIAL INTERNS
    High Country News, an award-winning magazine covering the communities and environment of the Western United States, is looking for its next cohort of editorial interns....
  • DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM SPECIALIST
    hat We Can Achieve Together: If you are a detailed individual that takes pride in your accuracy, this position may be the perfect opportunity for...
  • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - LEMHI COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY (SALMON, IDAHO)
    Are you ready to take the reins at Lemhi County Humane Society and make a difference in the lives of countless animals? We are seeking...
  • ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSTRUCTION GEOPHYSICS
    We characterize contaminated sites, identify buried drums, tanks, debris and also locate groundwater.
  • WESTERN NATIVE SEED
    Native plant seeds for the Western US. Trees, shrubs, grasses, wildflowers and regional mixes. Call or email for free price list. 719-942-3935. [email protected] or visit...