Benitez 1

Undocumented, Unafraid, and Unapologetic: Perspectives from a bad ally Elisa Benitez University of Nort !arolina at ! arlotte

"pring #$1%

Introduction:

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&s ' t oug t about my topic and began researc ing, ' (as very confused as to ( ere to start) * ile t e topic ' c ose to (rite about, t e 'mmigrant +ig ts ,ovement, is somet ing ' find ig ly interesting and 'm e-tremely involved (it , t is paper re.uired muc more time and actual researc ) ,y main concern (as, figuring out an issue t at ' could discuss and finding evidence to use) 't (as very difficult finding anyt ing t at (as useful, besides all t e ateful comments and criticism, but ' (as able to find a fe( sources t at ad t e information ' (as loo/ing for, and t ey pointed me in t e rig t direction) ' decided t at a big issue in t e movement is t e controversy be ind our strategies to ac ieve our goals, as (ell as t e limited communication (e ave due to differences (it ot er organizations) ' /no( first and t at lac/ of communication and our met odology as ad an impact on t e (or/ (e do and ( o (e can even (or/ (it ) ' started as/ing myself a fe( .uestions to guide t is paper) 0o( did yout s gain t is attitude and identity of being Undocumented, Unafraid, and Unapologetic12 0o( did our tactics go from lobbying to bloc/ing entire intersections and even self3deporting to reunite families1 * y is t ere so muc anger and disagreement bet(een our organization, 4 e National 'mmigrant 5out &lliance 64 e N'5&7, and ot ers1 Literature Review: Undocumented and Unafraid "ince t e 189: &mnesty by former President +onald +eagan, it as become e-tremely difficult for people to normalize t eir status or even apply to immigrate to t e United "tates) 4 ere is a common misconception t at people simply dont (ant to go t roug t e process, but in reality, t e ma;ority of people ave no line, meaning a sponsor or pat (ay, t roug ( ic t ey can apply) <or t is reason, t ere are no( an estimated 113#$ million undocumented immigrants living in t e s ado(s)

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'n #$$8, it (as found t at close to alf of all =atin>1 yout s do not ave legal status in t e United "tates, and t at as li/ely increased no()# ?ro(ing up, t ey begin to realize t at t eir options are e-tremely limited for ig er education and (or/) 't leaves t em trying to navigate and understand t eir identities as Undocumented &mericans) &ccording to "eif, even t ose born in t e United "tates no( ave blurred lines of ( o t ey are because t ey (ant to end t e separation bet(een immigrants and nonimmigrants, in ( at is called reactive et nicity)% * ile t is may sound strange, it is difficult for immigrant yout s and c ildren of immigrants to separate t emselves, especially because t ere is a sense of displacement due to t e clas in cultures, racial divisions, family unity, etc) * ile U" !itizen c ildren of immigrants may not be directly affected by undocumented immigration, t ey are very li/ely to be allies and participate in events for immigrant rig ts because t ey feel a strong connection to la raza, or t e people) "eif e-plains t at civic engagement in t e =atin> and immigrant community came about after stringent, anti3immigrant la(s) 0o(ever, t e (ays t at yout s became involved greatly differ from t e involvement of adults) 5out s, particularly, (ere pus ed to(ards civic engagement because t ey gre( up as &mericans yet (ere barred from t ings li/e drivers licenses, ig er education, and even t e military) Undocumented students cannot be denied a @3 1# education due to t e "upreme !ourt case, Plyler vs) Aoe, yet are unable to attend colleges because t e ma;ority of states c arge t em out of state tuition rates)B 4 eir only c ance to normalize t eir status (as t e A+E&, &ct) 4 e Aream &ct is a bipartisan bill t at (as first introduced in #$$1, ( ic (ould provide a pat (ay to citizens ip to undocumented yout s t at 1 Because all nouns are gendered in "panis , ' ave c osen to use t e term C=atin>2 t roug out my paper ( ic
encompasses all genders) 2 0inda "eif CUnapologetic and Unafraid: 'mmigrant 5out !ome Dut <rom t e " ado(s,2 New Directions for Child and Adolescent Behavior 6#$117: :1 % 'bid) :# 4 =aura !orrun/er C!oming Dut of t e " ado(s: A+E&, &ct &ctivism in t e !onte-t of ?lobal &nti3Aeportation &ctivism,2 Indiana Journal of Global Le al !tudies 6#$1#7: 1E%)

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ave been raised in t e United "tates) 't is limited to t ose bet(een t e ages of 1:3%$ ( o are in sc ool, ave completed # years of ig er education or ave been in t e armed forces for # years) 4 ey must also ave less t an % misdemeanors on t eir criminal record) "tudents advocated for t eir community, spo/e to members of congress, eld petition drives, s ared t eir stories, and more in opes t at it (ould finally be passed in #$1$) 4 e bill as been broug t up several times for a vote, but as al(ays failed) #$1$ (as t e first time t e bill passed t e 0ouse of +epresentatives, but it failed by ;ust E votes in t e "enate)E !orrun/er argues, o(ever, t at t ings too/ off (it ,o ammad &bdolla i, a .ueer undocumented immigrant from 'ran, creating t e Aream &ct Portal in #$$F): 4 e portal (as an online forum in ( ic undocumented yout s could net(or/, support eac ot ers efforts and discuss legislation ta/ing place) * at made t is forum so elpful to many, (as being able to tal/ (it some anonymity and t ey could finally begin to advocate for t emselves) ,ost yout s (ere not ready to be activists, especially (it t eir undocumented status) ,o ammad t en spo/e to some yout s and founded Dne ,ic igan) 4 ey t en eld a Aream !amp) 4 e Aream !amp (as a retreat for undocumented yout s to come toget er, strategize, and learn to s are t eir stories)F Gust t(o (ee/s after Dne ,ic igan (as establis ed, t ey eld t eir first C!oming Dut of t e " ado(s2 rally in #$1$)9 !oming Dut of t e " ado(s is a concept ta/en from t e =?B4H community in an effort to unite t e .ueer community, ( o are often left out of conversations ( en discussing legislation, and t e immigrant community)8 ,o ammad, in particular, noticed
5 0inda "eif CUnapologetic and Unafraid: 'mmigrant 5out !ome Dut <rom t e " ado(s,2 New Directions for Child and Adolescent Behavior 6#$117: :83F$ 6 =aura !orrun/er C!oming Dut of t e " ado(s: A+E&, &ct &ctivism in t e !onte-t of ?lobal &nti3Aeportation &ctivism,2 Indiana Journal of Global Le al !tudies 6#$1#7: 1BF) F 'bid) 1B:) 9 'bid) 1BF) 8 'bid) 1E8)

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t at coming out (as an essential part of t e ?ay +ig ts ,ovement and realized t at if t ey truly (anted to advocate for t emselves, t ey ad to be open about t eir status) Dne by one, yout s (ould s are t eir story of immigration, t eir c allenges, t eir ac ievements, and finally, t ey (ould come out as undocumented) 4 is (as a po(erful start to t e beginning of a po(erful organization) " aring ones immigration status as al(ays been an e-tremely taboo topic in t e immigrant community, mainly out of fear t at t eyll be deported, and can often be seen as a sign of disrespect to t e older generations) * ile it is ig ly discouraged, t is as not deterred yout s from fig ting for t eir communities) * at started as a coming out, as no( turned into t e first undocumented yout 3led national organization (it affiliates all over t e country) 4 ey are not only advocating, t ey are participating in actions of civil disobedience and confronting t e issues ead on) But, o( did t ese yout s go from a !oming Dut to civil disobedience1 4 e 'mmigrant +ig ts ,ovement #$$:3#$1% * ile t e desire for t e Aream &ct being made la( is ( at pus ed undocumented "ouths to start advocating and (or/ing to(ards empo(ering t eir communities, t is movement ad been developing since 8I11) +oberto ?onzales e-plains t at t e 'mmigrant +ig ts ,ovement as been active since #$$: (it older generations and organizations li/e !0'+=&, &mericas Joice, and +eform 'mmigration <or &merica) 1$ &fter 8I11, t e United "tates began ta/ing a ardline approac to immigrants because it (as discovered t at t ose involved in t e attac/s (ere green card olders) 4ensions began to rise, fears of terrorism (ere e-acerbated, and people began to target immigrants) 't (as t e perfect e-cuse for former !ongressman Gim "ensenbrenner to propose 0ouse Bill BB%F, 4 e Border Protection, &nti34errorism and 'llegal

10 +oberto ?) ?onzales C=eft Dut But Not " ut Ao(n: Political &ctivism and t e Undocumented "tudent ,ovement,2 Northwestern Journal of Law and !ocial #olic" % 6#$$97: ##$)

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'mmigration !ontrol &ct, in #$$E) 4 e bill passed t e 0ouse, but failed in t e "enate in Aecember of #$$E)11 * ile it died in t e "enate, t e fear among immigrants remained t at t is mig t be t eir last day in t e United "tates) 4 at (as ( en t e idea of creating & Aay *it out 'mmigrants2 arose bet(een several ma;or immigrant rig ts organizations) 'mmigrants (ould not go to (or/, (ould not purc ase anyt ing, t ey (ould simply demonstrate ( at (ould appen if all t e immigrants (ere to vanis ) 't appened on ,ay 1st, #$$: and t ere (ere marc es and rallies all across t e community (it undreds of t ousands of people)1# 4 ese (ere t e people t at (ere

supposed to be idden, out of t e public eye and (ere suddenly bringing attention to t emselves) 4 ey (ere no( visible) * ile some said t at t e beast ad a(o/en, t is (as only t e beginning) "ome argue t is (as a catalyst moment for =atin> yout s) =atin> yout s, documented and undocumented, elped organize events in t eir cities, informed t e community on 0)B) BB%F, marc ed, rallied, lobbied, and muc more) 4 ey realized t is (as somet ing t at affected everyone) ?onzalez and Jelez agree t at events li/e t is, a ostile environment t at vilifies t em, and a sense of displacement, are ( at radicalized =atin> yout s and allo(ed t em to become activists)1% "tudents began organizing (al/outs at t eir sc ools, as t eir (ay of protest, ( ic (as very common during t e ! icano "tudent ,ovement in t e :$s) &round t is same time, ,o ammad &bdolla i, Prerna =al, and several ot er individuals created United *e Aream 6U*A7, an immigrant yout led organization dedicated to empo(ering t e immigrant community and stopping deportations)
11 Jeronica Jelez, =indsay Perez 0uber, !orina Benavides =opez, &riana de la =uz and Aaniel ?) "olKrzano CBattling for 0uman +ig ts and "ocial Gustice: & =atinaIo !ritical +ace ,edia &nalysis of =atinaIo "tudent 5out &ctivism in t e *a/e of #$$: &nti3'mmigrant "entiment2 !ocial Justice %E 6#$$97 1%) 12 +oberto ?) ?onzales C=eft Dut But Not " ut Ao(n2 Northwestern Journal of Law and !ocial #olic" 6#$$97: ##$) 13 Jeronica Jelez, =indsay Perez 0uber, !orina Benavides =opez, &riana de la =uz and Aaniel ?) "olKrzano CBattling for 0uman +ig ts and "ocial Gustice2 !ocial Justice %E 6#$$97 1:)

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U*A (as important, because it (as t e first national organization founded and led by undocumented yout s) * ile t eir (or/ began (it marc es, rallies, and (al/outs, and petitions, t ey began to t in/ t at t ey needed to be more direct (it t eir activism) &s students became more involved, connected (it ot er activists, lost fear in t eir status, some t oug t it (as necessary to ave ris/ier actions) 4 is caused a lot of tension in U*A among t e leaders) "ome believed in maintaining t e positive, deserving, all3&merican, image) ,o ammad and ot ers felt t at ris/s (ere necessary if t ey really (anted c ange for t emselves and t e undocumented community) &mong several ot er events (it in t e organization, t ere (as a ma;or split in #$$8) ,o ammad t en created 4 e National 'mmigrant 5out &lliance and Aream&ctivist)org) 4 e follo(ing year, o(ever, is ( en ,o ammad decided to test out is vie(s) 0e found four ot er li/e3minded undocumented yout s t at (ere (illing to participate in civil disobedience and ris/ arrest) 4 ey all dressed in graduation caps and go(ns, (ent to "enator ,c!ains office and participated in a sit3in in #$1$)1B 4 ey refused to leave unless e vo(ed to support t e Aream &ct and all (ere arrested) 4 e Aream <ive, as t ey (ere dubbed, faced far more serious repercussions t an most) 4 ey faced deportation, even deat for some because of t eir se-ual orientation)1E 4o t e surprise of many, t ey (ere let go immediately and 'mmigration and !ustoms Enforcement 6'!E7 did not intervene in t e case) 4 is is ( en t ey realized t at as undocumented immigrants, t ey (ere muc safer from deportation, even t roug actions suc as t is) 4 ey continued to do more actions t roug out t e years, even bloc/ing entire intersections by sitting in t e middle of t e street) 'n t e past year, some yout s ave begun to purposefully fall into deportation proceedings and remain detained at migrant detention centers) 0as out met odology gone too far1
1B 4 e actions mentioned ere and immigration (or/ from #$1$ until no( are from my o(n personal recollections and e-periences) 15 =aura !orrun/er C!oming Dut of t e " ado(s: A+E&, &ct &ctivism in t e !onte-t of ?lobal &nti3Aeportation &ctivism,2 Indiana Journal of Global Le al !tudies 6#$1#7: 1B8)

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"trategies of Undocumented 5out s: 4oo +is/y1 * ile immigrant communities are constantly being told to (ait for !ompre ensive 'mmigration +eform, t at N'5& as ta/en a muc toug er position on t e issue) 4 e Dbama &dministration is on trac/ to deport # million people by #$1B)1: Under im, t e databases "ecure !ommunities and #9Fg (ere e-panded) "ecure !ommunities is a database of t ose ( o ave criminal records, in ( ic every time a person is arrested t e ;ail (ill /no( if t ey are considered a criminal and s ould process t e person (it '!E) 4 is is fla(ed because often times, peoples records are for driving (it out a license and t ey become prioritized) #9Fg, on t e ot er and, is an agreement bet(een local la( enforcement and '!E) 't allo(s police officers to act as immigration officials) 't also means t ere are '!E officials at ;ails c ec/ing t e immigration status of eac inmate and if t ey are found to be undocumented, t ey (ill ave an '!E old and immediately be processed for deportation proceedings) * ile many on t e far rig ts claim President Dbama is soft on immigrants, mainly because e issued a memo on Guly 1E, #$1# called Aeferred &ction for ! ild ood &rrivals 6A&!&7) Essentially, it provides a (or/ permit of t(o years for undocumented yout s bet(een t e ages of 1:3%$) Aespite t is, it is clear t at President Dbama as been t e toug est on immigration) Aesperate times call for desperate measures, rig t1 4 ese factors allo(ed ,o ammad to determine t at our members needed to infiltrate detention centers) ,igrant detention centers are private, for3profit institutions typically o(ned by 4 e ?eo ?roup 'nc) and 4 e !orrections !orporation of &merica) 'n a typical detention center, t e ;ail ma/es L1:: for every inmate, eac day) 'n 4 is &merican =ife, t e radio intervie( starts (it t e voice of Gonat an Perez, an undocumented yout ( o, along (it 'saac Barrera,

16 Suzanne Gamboa, Conflicting Views on Approaching 2 Million Deportations, NBC Latino, October 16, 2013, http://nbclatino.com/2013/10/16/conflicting-views-on-approaching-2-million-deportations/.

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(illingly (al/ into a Border Patrol office and are detained)1F =i/e t e title, t is is not ( at undocumented yout s are su$$osed to do, t eyre not supposed to tell people t eir status, t eyre not supposed to be near a Border Patrol official) ,ic ael +ay discusses t e gro(ing and strange tactics t at t e National 'mmigrant 5out &lliance 64 e N'5&7 members ave ta/en) * ile it is strange to many, undocumented yout s must do t is in order to protect t emselves and t eir families from deportation, e-pose t e bro/en immigration system, t e constant lies from public officials, and tell t e stories of t ose eld in orrendous conditions) 4 is as become t e norm for many members of t e N'5&) &n e-ample of t is, is ,arco "aavedra and Jiridiana ,artinez ( o tried multiple times to get arrested and placed in a detention center) ,arco and Jiridiana (ere not going to any detention center) ,arco and Jiridiana are eventually detained at Bro(ard 4ransitional !enter in <lorida, one of t e 1$ (orst, for3profit, migrant detention centers in t e nation)19 't loo/s li/e a otel on t e outside, t ere are palm trees, t e building is painted in pastel pin/, but its a nig tmare ( en one enters) 4 e prison as some of t e (orst abuses to(ards migrants) &s soon as Jiridiana and ,arco entered, t ey began tal/ing to t e detainees, (riting t eir stories do(n, and calling activists on t e outside to fig t some of t e un;ust deportations in t e ;ail) 'mmediately, petitions (ere set up and t ey (ere able to get several detainees released) &fter t at (as over, members attempted to infiltrate "te(art Aetention !enter in ?eorgia and Eloy Aetention !enter in &rizona, but t e pressure of being in t ere (as far too muc and t ey .uit) 4 en ,o ammad came up (it a completely ne( idea) 4 roug out t is past summer, it ad been reported t at t ere ad been 1)F million deportations, t us far) * ile A&!& ad been announced and yout s (ere obtaining t eir (or/ permits, t ere (ere still t ousands of yout s
17 Gonat an Perez and ,o ammad &bdolla i, intervie( by ,ic ael ,ay, %he &ne %hin 'ou(re Not !u$$osed %o Do) 81)E *BEM <,, Gune #1, #$1%) 19 ,arco "aavedra, Jiridiana ,artinez, and ,o ammad &bdolla i, 'bid)

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( o left or (ere deported before t is memo (as announced and (ere unable to .ualify) ,o ammad t oug t t e N'5& s ould attempt to bring t em bac/ to t e U)") Dn Guly ##, #$1% 8 undocumented yout s presented t emselves, (it 0umanitarian Parole applications in and, at t e Nogales Port of Entry to t e United "tates as part of t e CNBring4 em0ome2 campaign) &t t e gate, t ey (ere immediately appre ended by Border Patrol and ta/en to Eloy Aetention !enter) 4 eir 0umanitarian Parole applications (ere denied and t en t ey as/ed for asylum) * en someone presents t emselves in t e U)") as/ing for parole or asylum, t e policies are t at t ey ave to remain detained t roug out t e entire process) 'f granted asylum, t ey are released) Unfortunately, immigration ;udges are e-tremely toug on asylum and only a slim number of applicants are approved) 4 e vast ma;ority are denied and deported immediately) *it a !ongressional "ign3Dn =etter, petitions, p one ban/ing, and public interest, all nine (ere released after t(o (ee/s) 4 ey (ere attempting to get cases of ot ers t at (ere detained, but t e guards put some members in solitary confinement) 4 e rest (ere placed (it immigrants t at did not spea/ "panis or Englis ) &ll nine are still fig ting t eir cases, and (ill be fig ting for many years) !urrently, t e N'5& is (or/ing on t e release of #E yout s detained in El Paso Aetention !enter) 4 ere (ere originally %$O t at crossed t e bridge in =aredo) F ave been released t us far (it families on 0umanitarian Parole, as (ell as one (oman from 0onduras ( o came to get treatment for er daug ter) 4 e N'5& as already announced t at t ey are (or/ing on a possibly t ird NBring4 em0ome round) !riticism, Aivisiveness, 'rresponsible 4 e N'5& receive muc criticism, and (it good reason) 'n t e past year, several members left t e organization and stopped (or/ing on immigrant rig ts completely, because

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t ey became disillusioned (it t e good versus bad immigrant dic otomy) * en trying to ta/e deportation cases and bringing bac/ yout s, only certain people are c osen) 4 e ma;ority of t e time, it is t e easy, sympat etic cases of people (it no record, U)") !itizen c ildren and medical problems t at are (or/ed on) By doing t is, as organizers, (e ave begun classifying people) * ile t is elps t ose ( o are considered as Cdeserving2 to stay, t ere are t ose ( o may not fit t e image of t e perfect immigrant and may ave committed an infraction in t eir c ild ood)18 &not er criticism is t at t e N'5& still uses t e terms Cillegal and illegal immigrant)2 United *e Aream does not condone t e usage of t ose terms to refer to people as t ey feel Cillegal2 is offensive) 0o(ever, t ey only elp t e perfect immigrant, valedictorian ig sc ool students, t e star at lete, t e c urc going mot er, and do not elp people t at ave t e slig test infraction on t eir records) 'llegal is a term t at as been reclaimed by t e affected community, t e N'5& believes in second c ances to an e-tent, and every deportation case is not centered on t e Aream &ct eligible narrative) *it t e recent Bring 4 em 0ome actions, t e N'5& and members ave been bombarded (it ate mail, arassment, stal/ing, and muc more) "ome may say t ose of us t at are involved

deserve t is, but t e vitriolic language is all coming from immigrant rig ts advocates) Aavid =eopold, former President of t e &merican 'mmigration =a(yers &ssociation, stated in numerous articles and too/ to t(itter calling t e actions a c eap publicity stunt and a distraction from !ompre ensive 'mmigration +eform)#$ "usan Pai, an immigration attorney in <lorida, t(eeted at several N'5& members and myself, numerous times, ( en (e supported t e Bring 4 em 0ome actions) " e claims t at (e s ould be supporting !ompre ensive 'mmigration
18 !laudia &) &nguiano, CUndocumented, Unapologetic, Unafraid: Aiscursive "trategies of t e 'mmigrant 5out Aream "ocial ,ovement,2 6P A diss), !alifornia "tate University, Gune #$117 1#E31#:) #$ Aavid =eopold, 4(itter post, Guly #:, #$1%, ::%% p)m), t(itter)comIAavid=eopold)

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+eform because t at is t e only (ay for t e yout s to come bac/ and be reunited (it t eir families)#1 Aee Aee Blase, founder of t e 4e.uila Party, as been (riting numerous, terribly (ritten Carticles2 about 4 e N'5&, its members, t eir bac/ground and t eir (or/)## 4 ey also claim N'5& and its members are divisive) ,any, even (it in t e movement, say t at (e are alienating people (it status, people (it po(er and influence) * ile, yes, allies are necessary to a movement, t ey are not t e absolute most important part) 'f undocumented yout s ave been able to ac ieve so muc on t eir o(n, it is clear t at t ese claims of divisiveness are untrue) 4 ere are many citizens t at do a lot of (or/ for N'5&, even if t ey are criticized, called out, and muc more) * ile many may not agree (it our strategies, people continue coming to us for elp on t eir cases and (e ave to figure out a (ay to assist t eir families) No immigrant wants to be detained and face deportation, but t ese are t e met ods (e ave ad to resort to, in order to demand t at 'mmigration and !ustoms Enforcement follo( t e correct policy) ,any claim undocumented yout s are endangering t emselves, t eir families, and t e entire community from ac ieving and pro3immigrant legislation) 4 e e-amples t at are often used are t e retaliation cases against ,o ammad &bdolla i, co3founder of t e N'5&, and Eri/a &ndiola, organizer (it United *e Aream) 'n #$1$ ( en ,o ammad participated in t e first sit3in at "enator ,c!ains office, '!E did not appre end im because e identifies as .ueer and is from 'ran, ( ere omose-uality is punis able by deat )#% * ile e (as safe, '!E came to is ome and placed is family in proceedings) * ile it (as a long legal battle, t ey (ere able to terminate t ose proceedings) Eri/a &ndiola also ad '!E
#1 "usan Pai, 4(itter post, "eptember #E, #$1%, 1$:19 a)m), t(itter)comIsusanpai) 22 Mexican American Times, DeeDee Blase, http://tucsoncitizen.com/hispanic-politico/tag/deedee-garciablase/. 23 =aura !orrun/er, C!oming Dut of t e " ado(s: Aream &ct &ctivism in t e !onte-t of ?lobal &nti3Aeportation &ctivism,2 Indiana Journal of Global Le al !tudies 18 6#$1#7: 1B8)

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come to er ome and ta/e er brot er and mot er in t e middle of t e nig t and attempted to deport t em t e ne-t day) " e immediately let everyone /no( t roug social media and an emotional video on youtube)#B '!E (as preparing to deport er family t e ne-t day, but by t e afternoon, er family (as released) * ile t at is a very real ris/ for all t ose ( o are activists in t e immigrant community, young undocumented immigrants see coming out as undocumented and unafraid, as a necessary ris/) 'f it (ere not for t e community, ,o ammad and Eri/as families (ould ave been deported) *ro+ an All": &s a U)") !itizen, as t e daug ter of a U)") !itizen fat er and =egal Permanent +esident mot er, ' ave obviously been .uestioned ( y ' (or/ on immigration) ' ave been as/ed ( y ' support t is issue and t ese people, considering my family as status) 4o t e surprise of some, my support as been .uestioned by undocumented yout s because it can be seen as my trying to usurp t eir (or/ or try to spea/ over t em) * ile some may feel t at t ey s ould be grateful for my support, ' find t eir vie(s and feelings completely ;ustified) Being an ally is not conditional based on being praised, or being told o( muc your support is appreciated) Being an ally, is an odd place, especially in t is community and t is (or/) * ile ' do sometimes fear t e repercussions of t e actions planned and ' do sometimes .uestion 6to myself7 t e reasoning be ind some of t ese events, ' c oose not to spea/ out) *e constantly e-press t at t e unaffected must stay .uiet and support ( at t e affected community (ants to do) &s an ally to t e cause, ' do ;ust t at, ' elp out ( en as/ed to, ' do ( at t ey say, and ' support t e decisions t ey ta/e) ' ave also criticized ot er allies for not staying in t eir place) * ile some say t at it is counterproductive to criticize ones supporters, t at (e (ill never ac ieve

24 Eri/a &ndiola, CEri/a &ndiolas <amily "eparated,2 5outube Jideo 1:E8, posted by Eri/a &ndiola, Ganuary 11, #$1%, ttp:II((()youtube)comI(atc 1vP<JM@foQs,-/)

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anyt ing by criticizing and ostracizing t ose (it voting po(er, ' find t at being called out on ( at ' do (rong, lets me and ot ers /no( t at (e do ave privilege and t at (e do not understand t is particular struggle) 4 is as been a recurring problem t roug out istory in various social movements ( ere allies feel li/e t ey s ould be more respected, and (ill continue to appen) 0o(ever, ' ave been a little more esitant no( (it certain actions because of my relations ip (it anot er organizer ( o is undocumented) 4 ere ave been limits as to t e actions e can and cannot participate in, ( ic ' ave constantly received flac/ for) "ome see t is as my silencing and oppressing an undocumented yout , but t ey still respect my decision and do see ( y ' feel t is (ay) * ile ' try to be t e best ally ' can be, ' do /no( t at ' am uman and ' (ill not be a blind s eep and agree (it everyt ing, especially if it puts t ose ' care about in danger) ' ave also ad to ta/e a step bac/ because ' ave become a muc more vicious person and (as losing myself in t e process) ' (as constantly arguing (it ot er organizers from different organizations and t at as caused a very large divide) 4 ere are people ( o ' ave never spo/en to, yet disli/e me on sig t because of t e organization ' represent) Conclusion: * ile it may not ma/e sense to many ( y an undocumented immigrant (ould ris/ detention or ( y a U)") !itizen (ould no( ave a minor infraction on er criminal record to elp someone else, t ese are t ings t at ave to be done) Unfortunately, sometimes people ave to ma/e t ese decisions because t ey are left (it no ot er alternative) 4 ere (ill al(ays be critics, t ose ( o are angry, t ose ( o vie( t is as being irresponsible, but (e get our (or/ done and try to elp as many families as possible) * ile t ere are many negatives to not aving a unified movement, t ere are also t e positives) 4 ese movements ave never truly been unified)

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4 roug out istory, t ere are e-amples of different factions of people trying to accomplis t e same goals) 'f t at goal can be ac ieved by terminating communication (it ot er organizers or cut off ot er organizations completely, t en t at is ( at (ill be done) ', and many ot ers, are simply volunteers) *e are not paid organizers and for t at reason, do not ans(er to any ig er ups) Dur (or/ is determined by t e community and t ose (e fig t for) 4 roug out istory, t e affected community, t e oppressed as ad to do t e unt in/able to ac ieve social c ange) No one ever got ;ustice by being /ind or politely as/ing for positive legislation)

Bibliograp y &ndiola, Eri/a CEri/a &ndiolas <amily "eparated)2 5outube Jideo, 1:E8) Posted by Eri/a &ndiola, Ganuary 11, #$1%) ttp:II((()youtube)comI(atc 1vP<JM@foQs,-/ &nguiano, !laudia &) CUndocumented, Unapologetic, Unafraid: Aiscursive "trategies of t e 'mmigrant 5out Aream "ocial ,ovement)2 P A diss), !alifornia "tate University, Gune #$11) Benitez, Elisa) C<igured *orld Dbservations)2 University of Nort !arolina, ! arlotte) "eptember #$, #$1%) !orrun/er, =aura) C!oming Dut of t e " ado(s: Aream &ctivism in t e !onte-t of ?lobal &nti3 Aeportation &ctivism)2 Indiana Journal of Global Le al !tudies 6#$1#7 1B%31:9) dmlcentral Aigital ,edia R =earning: 4 e Po(er of Participation) Aocumenting Areams: Ne( ,edia: Undocumented 5out and t e 'mmigrant +ig ts movement)2 &ccessed Dctober 1$, #$1%) ?onzales, +obert ?) C=eft Dut but Not " ut Ao(n: Political &ctivism and t e Undocumented "tudent ,ovement)2 Northwestern Journal of Law , !ocial #olic" 6#$$97 #183#%8) Patia, @aitlyn ?race) C!rossing t e Border of <ear: E-ploring 'mitation, 'magination, and &ffect in t e !itizens ip Enactment of Undocumented 'mmigrant 5out )2 ,asters 4 esis, University of ,innesota) 6#$1#7 131EF) Perez, Gonat an, ,artinez, Jiridiana, "aavedra, ,arco and &bdolla i, ,o ammad) %he &ne %hin 'ou(re Not !u$$osed %o Do) By ,ic ael ,ay) 81)E *BEM <,, Gune #1, #$1%) "eif, 0inda) CUnapologetic and Unafraid: 'mmigrant 5out !ome Dut <rom t e " ado(s2 New Directions for Child and Adolescent Develo$+ent 6#$117 E83FE)

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Jelez, Jeronica, Perez 0uber, =indsay, Benavides =opez, !orina, de la =uz, &riana and "olorzano, Aaniel ?) CBattling for 0uman +ig ts and "ocial Gustice: & =atin> !ritical +ace ,edia &nalysis of =atin> "tudent 5out &ctivism in t e *a/e of #$$: &nti3'mmigrant =egislation)2 !ocial Justice 6#$1%7 F3#F)