Its Just the Right Thing To Do

Today is a great day for my country. A day where I can be, once again, proud of my President for standing up for what is right. Today it has been declared that American children will no longer be deported to lands they don’t know and will be given an opportunity to pursue their dreams.

"It makes no sense to expel talented young people who are, for all intents and purposes, Americans." Obama said. This policy is just, “the right thing to do”. 

Though this will not be implemented tomorrow, I hope to not have to tell another high schooler that soon, just wait, you will be able to get a drivers license. Soon, just wait, you will be able to go to Montreal with all of your friends. Soon, just be patient, you can do that awesome semester abroad. Just wait a bit longer, then you can get that part time job… Hey, if a Pulitzer prize is possible, why not all the in between?  I can talk about this forever, but I’ll try not to. Instead, here are excerpts from 2 exceptional ladies who call Framingham their only home. These ladies sent these letters to congress last month and here is a preview:

“I dream that I can be a permanent resident of the U.S, so that I can be an OBGYN and give back to my community. I also would love to get my driver's license and be able to work and get a college degree. I also hope that one day I can give back to others and teach English to ESL students. I love the education I have received and the community in which I live. I am willing to do what it takes to gain my residency if it can be made a possibility. My future depends on it.” 16 year old Y.R.A.

“I have worked and paid taxes since age 14. I travel within the country, I volunteer in my community, and I hold a well-paying finance job in the private industry thanks to a college degree. I have successful friends, many also immigrants, from many different countries, who are as thankful as I for their parents' decision to pursue an excellent quality of life. The difference between my friends and me is simple: they have the right to be here, and I don't. I have no legal right to be here, and routine everyday tasks can uncover my awful secret. I believe immigration reform is imperative to address the black hole so many of us find ourselves in and to help bring us out of the shadows. We are part of the team, and we have been for decades.” 29 year old A.L.J

Like Barack Obama said, politics and opinions aside, this is just the right thing to do.