When Dreams Become Nightmares: The Broken Promise of DACA

When conjuring images of spring in Portland, Oregon, I think of warm coffee in quirky storefronts, beautiful flower gardens in early bloom around my neighborhood, and a city slowly coming back to life after a long, gloomy winter. This March, however, was unusually cold and dreary, as if our weather was reflecting the sorrow that so many of us felt as we saw the new administration deal blow after blow to marginalized communities during the president’s first two months in office. After hearing hateful, anti-immigrant rhetoric for much of the Trump presidential campaign, we knew that the immigrant community would soon be in the crosshairs. The fear among undocumented Oregonians was palpable, and we soon learned that it was warranted.