Still Our Country: The State of Immigration Laws & Fight for Immigration Reform after the Election
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." -Emma Lazarus
There is no doubt that immigrant rights and immigration reform took a serious blow with the elections yesterday. Even with a day to process what happened in the presidential election, there is no overstating how devastating it feels. That said, I encourage all who are worried and afraid of what may come when Donald Trump takes office, please remember that we have been and remain a nation of immigrants. The majority of Americans voted for Hillary Clinton. A significant number of people, from both major parties, believe that our immigration system needs to be fixed, and that some kind of reform must come. And after taking a hit with the election, there are people across this country prepared to stand back up and fight as hard as ever for immigrant rights and immigration reform.
We at Milla & Associates are prepared to fight to protect immigrants, to use our knowledge and years of experience to help keep families together, to defend people from deportation, and to help people receive immigration status through family, work, and humanitarian grounds.
Our hearts hurt for what happened. The election held a mirror to our country and what we saw wasn't pretty. Yet, in the hate-filled xenophobic, misogynistic, and racist rhetoric that Donald Trump incited, invited, and rode to victory, I still truly believe there is cause for hope. In that mirror held to our country, I also see beauty and good in the form of people of all backgrounds willing to stand with each other shoulder-to-shoulder to work together toward unifying our country, and for many, eager to love a country that with this election felt like it wanted nothing to do with us.
Lady Liberty has these profound words etched at the pedestal on which she stands: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." Those words aren't just for show. They still mean something. They are a heartfelt invitation to Others in need. We cannot walk away from the truth of those words, our history as a nation built on the sacrifice, ingenuity, and character of immigrants of all backgrounds, dating back generations. In the face of the election, that is still my country - our proud, strong, and beautiful country of immigrants. There is still reason to fight and to have hope.
-Robert C. Milla
Immigration law and policies have not changed yet just because of the election. There are laws in place that still exist to protect immigrants, seek relief from deportation, apply for status like permanent residence, and keep families together. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) still exists.
Please stay informed through reliable sources. If you have any questions about immigration law, immigrant rights, what you can apply for, or how you can protect yourself and loved ones, please do not hesitate to contact Milla & Associates online or call (312) 702-1782. Our immigration lawyers in Chicago are ready to help you.