To understand the power to enact change in the United States, you must understand how U.S. immigration laws get made. 

While presidential candidates often discuss border security measures and executive orders like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which demonstrates the impact of executive power,  these measures are only a position of change. Appeals reaching the Supreme Court and efforts of local governments to establish sanctuary cities play a key role in shaping immigration policy. However, the lasting change depends on Congress. 

Immigration policy is a sensible topic as politics weigh in economic, security and, most importantly, humanitarian concerns. With Congress’ continued disagreements on impacting immigration policies, policy decisions have moved to the executive and judicial branches. Therefore, we have seen DACA’s appeal move back and forth for the past four years when Congress has the power to implement DACA as a permanent program. 

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Biden’s executive orders to provide a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients who obtain a college degree, and the Supreme Court awaits a potential hearing on DACA as late as next year. It is up to Congress to pass a measure to provide security to the millions of immigrants living in the shadows. 

Congress’s failure to enact immigration reform trails back to the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act. This Act was first introduced in 2002, allowing the Attorney General to adjust the permit status for eligible individuals. If applicants were to be at least 12 years old during the Act’s enactment, applied before 21, had a high school diploma and had been present in the United States for at least five years before the enacted law, they would be eligible for a pathway to citizenship. 

The act has gone back and forth in Congress for years and has yet to be reintroduced. For some context, DACA was an executive order by former President Obama that is now 12 years old. Since then, the average age of a DACA recipient in 2012 was 21, making them 33 now. Inaugural DACA recipients have gone 12 years without Congress’ intervention in calling for their permanent residency. 

Undocumented immigrants have lived in the United States for decades, paying taxes without representation. They pay taxes into social security but do not receive social security benefits, even with their contributions. The conversation surrounding immigration reform shifts to only creating a pathway for undocumented youth, but elders have also made similar contributions.

Undocumented immigrants do not just contribute to the labor force and agricultural force; for example, many undocumented people are doctors. However, there has been enough discourse about the contributions both undocumented and DACA-mented have made to the country. It is time for Congress to implement the change. 

Now that the presidential election has come to a close, it is more important than ever that political involvement should not be limited to every four years. It should continue beyond Nov. 5th. It should continue with voting for congressional seats that have the power to implement change in our immigration system, with pushing current congressional officers to pass or draft legislation that will benefit the millions of undocumented immigrants who have spent decades living in America. 

A new administration means new policies; therefore, with either a pro- or anti-administration in office, the permanent change comes from our legislative branch. The executive orders and judicial rulings have a check from Congress, and that is what the 11 million undocumented residents have been awaiting. It is time the millions of taxes, labor and benefits undocumented immigrants make to this country are considered in American law. 

American politicians are knowledgeable about the billions of tax dollars undocumented immigrants contribute annually to the U.S. economy.  We have gone without a change in immigration law for years. The change is now, and restricting the border is not a solution to assisting the millions inside the country and stuck in detention centers.

Migration is a beauty; mothers have metaphorically moved mountains for their children, but immigrant mothers literally move countries for their children. Families move to escape the horrors of their home country, only to be blamed for the increase in crime by a 34-time convicted felon.

Undocumented immigrants need a solution, and it starts with the American people becoming knowledgeable about how the immigration system works, the truth of undocumented immigrants’ contribution and exclusion and who holds the ultimate power to create change. Undocumented immigrants define passion and resistance, and it is time the billions in taxes get represented on Capitol Hill.