VI Dreamers Forum "Revolutionizing Dreams”

The forum took place with the participation of the Mexican community beneficiaries of the DACA program, Mexican government authorities, and experts in migration affairs.

The Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE), through the Institute for Mexicans Abroad (IME) and the Consulate of Mexico in Oklahoma, hosted the VI Dreamers Leaders Forum under the theme "Revolutionizing Dreams". The event saw participation from young Mexican-origin individuals and beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in the United States.

Held in Oklahoma City from May 28 to 30, 2024, at the consulate premises, the forum focused on discussing the challenges faced by the migrant community. The objectives were to strengthen the participants' ties with Mexico and promote their involvement in active citizenship.

During the inauguration, Edurne Pineda, the Consul of Mexico in Oklahoma City, thanked the attendees and wished the forum's activities success. This consulate is one of Mexico's newest foreign representations, inaugurated in May 2023.
The event was opened by IME's head, Luis Gutiérrez Reyes. He emphasized the importance of the forum in making Mexican legislators aware of the issues faced by Dreamers:

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"We aim for your problems to be heard and understood in Mexico. That’s why we hold this forum—to bring your voice to various platforms in the country. It is crucial for Mexican lawmakers to know about your situation" – said Gutiérrez Reyes.

Alicia Bárcena Ibarra, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, sent a recorded message to the forum attendees. She praised the Dreamers for their resilience and contributions:

"Your voice is essential. I know your stories and achievements, which deeply inspire us. You are worthy examples of resilience, effort, and success. You embody the heritage and spirit of perseverance, determination, and hope, fundamental to the social fabric of the United States" – stated the Mexican Chancellor.

Bárcena Ibarra highlighted the economic contributions of the undocumented Mexican community in the United States, noting their annual federal and state/local tax contributions of $5.6 billion and $3.1 billion, respectively.

"Mexico has not forgotten you," – declared Bárcena Ibarra.

The forum included 68 Dreamers—58 women and 18 men—who traveled from various cities including Phoenix, Little Rock, Los Angeles, Oxnard, San Francisco, Sacramento, Orlando, Atlanta, Boise, Chicago, Indianapolis, Boston, Detroit, Saint Paul, Kansas City, Las Vegas, New Brunswick, New York, Albuquerque, Oklahoma, Philadelphia, Dallas, Houston, Salt Lake City, Washington, and Seattle.

Oklahoma is among several states, including Texas, Tennessee, Iowa, Georgia, Louisiana, and Florida, that have recently approved or proposed state-level anti-immigrant legislation. These laws include stricter measures for verifying immigration status, deportation, and harsher sentences for undocumented immigrants convicted of other crimes.

Organizations such as the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), founded in 1968 to protect the rights of Latinos in the US, also participated.

DACA is a federal program that has allowed hundreds of thousands of individuals who entered the US undocumented during their childhood to continue their education, access jobs, and obtain social security.

Last year, a federal judge from the Southern District of Texas issued a ruling in a lawsuit challenging whether former President Barack Obama had the authority to establish the DACA program in 2012. Judge Andrew Scott Hanen's decision has prevented new applications, allowing only renewals for current beneficiaries.

Currently, DACA has over 530,000 beneficiaries, with approximately 429,000 of them being Mexican. An estimated 1,161,000 eligible individuals cannot apply due to the current restrictions. Benefits of the program include obtaining a social security number, renewable work permits, and access to federal student loans.

Daniel Benet

daniel.benet@elheraldodemexico.com

@23gradosnorte