Dreamers and the Presidential Campaigns

The New York Times reported earlier this week on the role of certain Dreamer activists in the campaigns of the Democratic nominees.  Erika Andiola and Cesar Vargas (who was sworn into the New York bar this week) are playing leading roles in Bernie Sanders’ campaign, for instance, while Lorella Praeli has taken on a similar role for Hillary Clinton. Gabby Pacheco had endorsed former candidate Martin O’Malley before he dropped out of the race.  The prominent role of these individuals highlights the broader reality of DACA recipients’ increased integration and  empowerment as well as the political clout of the Dreamer movement (“Although Dreamers can’t vote or donate to candidates, thousands are knocking on doors, working the phones and battling on social media to promote their candidates”). 

The recruitment of so-called “high-profile Dreamers” has also generated criticism from within the immigrant rights community.  Luis Serrano, Social/Media Communicatios director of the California Immigrant Youth Justice Alliance, asserts in the Huffington Post that the endorsement of Presidential candidates by certain Dreamers dilutes the central goals of the movement:  “Endorsing and standing by those who are most vulnerable–those who are being criminalized, abused, deported, and physically/mentally mistreated should be key into building and opening the doors toward power and real solidarity,” writes Serrano, leading him to conclude that “[n]o politician deserves the praise that is being given to them through these endorsements.”

The media attention surrounding individuals like Andiola, Vargas and Praeli has also given rise to satirical bits of humor on the internet.  (See, for instance, Buzzfeed’s “Are you a Low-Profile Dreamer?,” or the Trump t-shirt above).

-JKoh