For many of us, if we have a grandparent out of town who is sick, all we have to do is buy a plane ticket and visit them.
But for more than 800,000 people in the U.S., it’s simply not that easy if they have a family member who lives in another country.
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I am talking about Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival, or DACA, recipients. These folks can’t just pick up and travel outside of the U.S. and be able to return lawfully. They must apply for something called advance parole.
Essentially, they have to ask the government for permission to leave the U.S. for school or work or to visit family. It might be granted. It might not. And even if the letter arrives that says they can go, it’s not guaranteed that they can come back into the U.S.
My How to LA colleague Brian De Los Santos has embarked on this journey. Brian is one of 80,000 DACA recipients who live and work here in Southern California and he is returning to Mexico for the first time since he left at age 2. He plans to visit his grandmother and other family.
I spoke to him and another colleague who is a DACA beneficiary, LAist social media producer Chris Farias, about their fragile status in the U.S. and their outlook 10 years after the creation of DACA. And today, in the latest podcast episode of How to LA, they share the significance of what it means to be able to go back to the place where they were born.
Here’s an excerpt from Brian’s essay about his special, personal trip to Mexico:
The letter came without warning: “This document authorizes a single departure from the United States on or after…”
The visit to my “home country” that I had been waiting for all my life is happening — actually currently as I type this. I’ll get to visit my abuelas, see where I grew up for my first two years and get those chilaquiles I’ve always dreamed of.
Maybe I’ll get a whiff of the same minty, earthy smell my abuela carried in her sweater when she arrived at LAX during her visits. I would always tell her, “Hueles a México,” and hug her to take it in. She would always laugh.
“Pues tú eres de allá, nadie te lo va quitar,” she’d remind me.
“You’re from there, no one can take that away from you.”
Read the rest of Brian’s essay here and listen to our special How To LA podcast episode where Brian chats with Chris and José Muñoz, deputy communications director for United We Dream, an organization that advocates on behalf of young undocumented immigrants. You will find additional resources if you — or someone you know — would like to pursue advance parole.
There are 168,000 DACA recipients in California and about half live here in Southern California. Chances are you have a friend or colleague who is DACA. They are doctors, lawyers, artists and students. And, of course, journalists.
But DACA is on shaky ground. Currently, nine Republican-led states are trying to block DACA protections. In February, senators announced legislation that could create a pathway to legal residency.
As always, stay happy and healthy, folks. There’s more news below — just keep reading.
(After you stop hitting snooze)
*At LAist we will always bring you the news freely, but occasionally we do include links to other publications that may be behind a paywall. Thank you for understanding!
When Melanie Lockert found out she had celiac disease, she went through a grieving process. Lockert said goodbye to her favorite foods in order to stay healthy. She had to change her whole diet because of her body’s reaction to gluten.
Lockert is one of more than 2 million Americans who are diagnosed with celiac disease and, according to John Hopkins Medicine, as many as 1 in every 133 Americans may be sensitive to gluten, which is a type of protein primarily found in wheat, rye and barley. This can make dining out with friends difficult — people who are gluten-sensitive often struggle to find food they can eat in most eateries.
Well, guess what, my friends? Lockert has a list of five places in L.A. you can try with great gluten-free options. Ever hear of a gluten-free churro? Well, you can try one 401k gluten-free Wine Bar + Eatery in Venice. If you LOVE bagels, you should check out Modern Bread and Bagel in the Woodland Hills. There’s more! Read Melanie’s article to get some recommendations for pancakes, donuts and Japanese food.
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