Last Friday Steve Bannon, White House chief strategist departed the White House after serving eight months as one of President Trump’s closest advisers. The former executive chair of Breitbart, was a purported architect behind the administration’s hate-based policies.
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the country’s oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the country, along with a broad coalition of Latino leaders, had been pushing for Bannon’s removal for months and were gratified that our position may have helped play a role in his departure.
{mosads}We had hoped that Bannon’s abrupt exist would be a significant step in the right direction for an administration marred in crisis. With Bannon’s ouster, LULAC had hoped that the president would move towards the center and become a president for all Americans. Unfortunately, this has not been the case. Rather, the president has doubled down on what we consider hate-based policies.
In addition to taking action which strips LGBT rights, prohibit Muslims from entering the country, ban transgender individuals from serving in the armed forces, the president is supporting legislation to keep non-English speaking legal immigrants out of the country, and most concerning has begun to focus on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
With regard to DACA, Trump began using a shameful negotiating tactic, which includes putting at risk the rights enjoyed by DACA recipients in order to leverage funding for his wall and additional detention facilities. Even more concerning there have been reports that the Trump administration is considering the immediate termination of DACA.
The DACA program was implemented through an executive action by President Obama in 2012, and has since provided temporary relief from deportation to the young immigrant population. According to the PEW Research Center, more than 750,000 young unauthorized immigrants have received work permits and relief from deportation and in 2017 up to 512,000 unauthorized immigrants could be eligible to renew their status.
The DACA program has not only been beneficial for these individuals but has been good for our country, as well. According to a report from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, DACA recipients pay an estimated $2 billion each year in state and local taxes, and have further contributed to the economy by purchasing cars and homes.
For the unauthorized immigrants who came to the country before the age of 16, DACA has provided them with an opportunity to remain in the only country they know. These young people had to pass background criminal checks and be enrolled in school in order to apply for temporary work visas. For the past five years, these young students have been able to participate in the American dream, which has included attending school and working to support their families without fear of deportation.
Whether President Trump uses DREAMERS as pawns in an effort to leverage funding to build his border wall, or ultimately cancels DACA, the consequences for young immigrants would be devastating. Thousands of young people would once again be prohibited from contributing to this country, and would ultimately be deported to countries they have never known. Such action is not only bad public policy but contrary to everything this country stands for.
The removal of Bannon is evidence that our collective voice can play a significant role in effecting positive change. Although the man is gone, we believe that his hateful notions still have traction and could continued to be a driving force in administration policy.
We must redouble our efforts and continue to fight to ensure that all elements of hate are removed from this White House. In the end, LULAC must convince President Trump to reject the alt-right ideology, and become the president to all Americans.
Brent Wilkes is the CEO of The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future.
The views expressed by contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill.