I am a Dreamer and a nurse
By Jessica Esparza
My parents brought me to the United States from Mexico without proper documentation when I was 11 years old. Starting in 7th grade, I learned English through school, books and music. I made my way through high school, excelling at the top of my class. In 2012, thanks to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, I was granted a work permit and a Social Security number that allowed me to graduate and work as a registered nurse.
I have been working as an RN at Central Washington Hospital, 30 minutes away from my high school, providing care to my community for two years. I consider myself blessed and lucky to be able to give back to the very community that gave me the opportunity to pursue my dream of becoming a nurse.
On a daily basis, I work with cancer patients and patients with chronic conditions and give my everything to help them improve their health. In an area with a large Latino population, I am frequently called upon to translate for the physicians. I can see the relief in the patients’ eyes when they can have such critical conversations in their primary language.
Waking up on Tuesday, Sept. 5, to the news that the DACA program would be rescinded was upsetting, frustrating and heartbreaking. I couldn’t help but think about my future; not only my future as a DACA recipient, but also the future of the other 800,000-plus DACA recipients in the same situation. I began to question what was going to happen to me. Was I going to lose my work permit? Was I going to lose my job? Do I need to return to a country that I haven’t been a part of for 12 years? Would my family be split apart again? All of these questions tormented me as I got ready for another day of work as a registered nurse.
With or without DACA, I will continue to be the best nurse and person that I can be. I will continue because my patients do not care what documentation I have as I hold their hand and cry with them after that terminal diagnosis.
Their families do not care what color my skin is as I give CPR to their loved ones. My patients do not care about my accent as I educate them about their chronic condition, and they do not care where I am from when I am taking care of them.
I am speaking out because without DACA, or a pathway to citizenship, I won’t have the opportunity to provide care for my community, the only community I know. I am speaking out for other DACA recipients who are scared to share their stories. I want to educate those who have misconceptions of undocumented immigrants. Many DACA recipients, like me, had no say in coming to this country, as we were only children when we arrived. In addition, all DACA recipients had to undergo a background check to obtain our work permits, requiring at least a high school education and a clean criminal record. We pay taxes just like every other American citizen. Without DACA, we cannot continue contributing to society at the same level.
My hope is that something better will come out of this situation, with DACA recipients ultimately being provided a pathway to citizenship.
We all knew that DACA was a temporary solution, but we are not ready to see it end without a permanent resolution. The BRIDGE Act (Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream and Grow Our Economy) and the RAC Act (Recognizing America’s Children) are two other programs similar to DACA. The support that these programs receive could be crucial to my, and other Dreamers’, future in the United States. If you feel compelled to advocate for Dreamer’s rights, please contact your representatives in Congress (www.house.gov/representatives/find if you are not sure who they are!).
I am here to stay, to continue to be the best person and nurse that I can be.
Jessica Esparza is a registered nurse,a member of the Washington State Nurses Association and a Dreamer.
