By Julia Lagano, Political reporter
Since his inauguration, President Trump has issued eight executive orders on immigration, sending waves of uncertainty through communities across the nation. In Virginia, where immigrants make up about 12.6% of the population and approximately 227,100 individuals are undocumented, the impact is expected to be significant. With Virginia’s proximity to Washington, D.C., many fear it is only a matter of time before federal enforcement actions begin.
One policy at risk under these executive orders is Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a program initiated by former President Obama in 2012 that provides temporary protection from deportation and work authorization to undocumented individuals who arrived in the U.S. as children. While it is not a direct path to citizenship, DACA has allowed thousands of recipients, “Dreamers,” to pursue higher education and secure employment.
Cities all over the state have already begun to prepare. In the New River Valley, help can be found in Roanoke and Blacksburg. Virginia Tech organizations, like Latin Link, are coming together to support those who are at risk of being affected. Latin Link is one of the largest Latinx student organizations on campus that strives to be a tight-knit community and a safe space for minority students attending a predominantly white institution. The club promotes its members’ cultures and heritages on campus through educational, cultural, and social events. Jennifer Lopez-Perez, senior and president of Latin Link, emphasized the importance of advocacy at this moment, “There is a community here at Virginia Tech that will not stand down and that will continue to fight for their [immigrants’] rights. They [Immigrants] are here for a better future, and they are seen.”
One way that the club takes a stand is by participating in Undoculliance, a week-long event hosted every year by the Latino Association of Student Organizations (LASO). With the goal to raise campus awareness about immigrant rights and the undocumented experience, the event shows support for DACA recipients and children of immigrants. “We have various guest speakers on a panel, hosted by a few organizations, that will talk about their experiences throughout college and within the workforce,” Lopez-Perez describes, “On social media, there are more organizations that will provide informational videos and provide resources for students both in and out of VT.”
Outside of Virginia Tech, Commonwealth Catholic Charities (CCC) is making efforts to support immigrants all over Virginia. The CCC has been serving vulnerable populations in Virginia since 1923. They offer a range of services, including but not limited to housing assistance, refugee resettlement, legal support, language education, and permanent residence status. The order, Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program, put a freeze on refugee admissions by suspending applications, and ceasing federal funding to resettlement programs. Katie Dillion, Communications Manager for the CCC, explains the impact of this, “Without federal funding, we are struggling to provide these services to newcomers during their first 90 days, which is the most intense time of support.” The CCC’s immigration team is small to begin with, their Roanoke office only has one staff person, making the capacity to help low.
For many in Virginia, the fear is not hypothetical —it’s personal. Lopez-Perez, like many others, has witnessed the hardships and sacrifices made by her parents to provide a promising future for their children. “As a daughter of immigrants, I have seen first-hand the battle that my parents have struggled through and continue to struggle through to be able to provide a better future for myself and my siblings. There are countless people that are just trying to live day by day to provide the same for themselves and their families,” she shared, “There are systems that are set in place that leave so many at a disadvantage and yet, they continue to fight and continue to work for that opportunity.”
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