Towards A More Perfect Union: My Work With The Immigrant Youth Justice League

by Hugo Esparza-Perez, CP

You have to question whether or not the U.S.A benefits by having  Twelve Million (plus) people from flourishing in society. I would say that it does not. Yet, this is the reality of millions of undocumented people in this country. While everyday tasks become harder for these people, the human and social detriment of  these communities continues to dwarf the entire country.  Hence, our democratic process and the pursuit of happiness are hindered for all. How is this so, some may ask. One of the main arguments that people on the different sides of the issue like to use is the economic impact of this group. Unfortunately, none of these sides ever talk openly of the human impact of undocumented people in the Country. Undocumented people are either portrayed as criminals or as lazy, by the opposition, and while by their sympathizers, they are pigeon-holed into the old racist narrative of merit. –here thus the talents and achievements of undocumented young men and women become the only reason for their much needed legalization. We all know, however, that equality and justice should come for both the over-achiever and for the non-over-achiever. This confronts us with a harsh reality, for when citizenship or human worth is based on the generation of income, we all lose.

For these reasons, undocumented youth throughout the country are coming together. Just as in the early sixties college students from Greensboro, N.C. decided to counter the racist backlash of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling to desegregate schools, undocumented youth, with the motto of “unashamed, unafraid and undocumented”, are rising up in Chicago and throughout the country. Inspired by U.S. American ideals, these young men and women, together with their allies, seek to become agents of change in the discussion and legislation of undocumented migration and to work for a more perfect Union, where democracy is a reality outside the voting booth, where justice is for all and where we can be measured by the way we treat the least amongst us.

My work with a local Chicago Group, Immigrant Youth Justice League (IYJL), came through my volunteering with a workers’ center here in Chicago (Arise Chicago). IYJL in collaboration with other likeminded local national organizations is currently organizing high school and college students from the Chicago area and will be taking its demands to Washington on March 21. IYJL  and its allies will join the  Members of the Ecumenical Days of Advocacy, which include us Passionists in their rally and actions. If you would like to read more about IYJL’s work please follow the links above.

[Picture by Shepard Fairey  http://obeygiant.com/]

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