Florida

BRADENTON -- Florida’s immigrant rights groups remain skeptical about the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) recent announcement that it would review the cases of 300,000 persons currently in deportation proceedings. Even though, the new policy is a step in ”the right direction“ toward immigration reform, much remains unknown about the criteria DHS plans to use in this process, according to The Florida Immigrant Coalition.

”We are cautiously optimistic about the relief this may bring to thousands of families facing separation,“ says Maria Rodriguez, Executive Director for the Florida Immigrant Coalition that seeks equal rights for immigrants and integration into the civic and cultural life of communities. ”This is a testament to the power of community organizing and the remarkable resilience of those most affected by this criminalizing system.“

According to the announcement, deportation proceedings will concern the worst criminals on a case by case basis. Some law enforcement officials call these changes ”a law enforcement nightmare.“

For Lucas Da Silva from Orlando, an undocumented student from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and a member of Students Working for Equal Rights (SWER), the announcement is part of the chain of broken promises of the current administration, including promises to stop deporting DREAM Act-eligible students.

”This is something that has been said before,“ he said. ”How effective it is going to be this time?“

Da Silva came to the U.S. with his family when he was one year old.

”I graduated high school in 2006 and I have spent five years out of school because I was told by my counselors and lawyers that I could not attend school as I am undocumented,“ he said. ”Because of that misinformation, I missed school.“

When Da Silva got involved with the United We Dream organization that fights for the DREAM Act and immigrants’ rights, he learned that there are other students in this situation. Da Silva, now a paralegal student at Valencia College, turned the immigration movement into his passion and wants to help undocumented people stuck in this situation.

”We were brought into this country and children and we had no choice. My language is English, I was raised here and this is my country,“ he said.

Da Silva is one of the five community organizers who have recently returned from Alabama where they went to criticize the controversial immigration bill, HB 56 that passed on June 9. Da Silva went door-to-door with clipboards and Know Your Rights pamphlets in trailer parks where much of the Latino population lives.

Under the controversial Alabama law, public schools are required to check students’ immigration status and employers have to verify potential employees’ status. The immigration bill criminalizes those who give undocumented people a ride, and requires police to check the immigration status of anyone they stop. Without an injunction following the lawsuit of the Department of Justice, the law is set to begin on September 1st.

Da Silva said he hopes for a comprehensive immigration reform. In January 2012, he will walk with four others from San Francisco to Washington D.C. calling for the passage of the DREAM Act and an immigration reform in what is known as Campaign for an American Dream.