Butterflies are preparing to migrate over to Washington D.C. with the purpose of convincing U.S. Congress to establish a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
To bring awareness to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, ACLU of Idaho Fellow and DACA recipient Rosseli Guerrero created the Butterfly Migration Project. Utilizing a symbol, she says, that best represents immigrants – the monarch butterfly.
The butterflies are made from colorful cardstock paper and include resources, quotes and information about DACA. Some butterflies offer words of support, such as “Si Se Puede/Yes We Can!” Others state facts, like “There is no pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients.”
Originating in Boise, the paper butterflies have made their way to cities like Twin Falls and Moscow. Now, Guerrero is working on sending the butterflies to D.C. to urge Congress to pass the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021.
The U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 is President Joe Biden’s immigration plan, which would create an eight-year pathway to citizenship for the undocumented community.
Guerrero was not always the outspoken activist she is today. Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, the 25-year-old immigrated to the United States at just 5 years old. For years, Guerrero rarely spoke about her immigration status out of fear.
“You don’t have to have an activism or advocacy job to really get out in the community,” Guerrero said. “If you’re passionate about a certain issue, you can literally create your own project.”
For the thousands of migrants all over the U.S., DACA is not just a pathway towards citizenship, it’s a means of survival. Without it, they don’t have access to a social security number, work permit or driver’s license, and they live in fear of deportation.
According to Guerrero, common misconceptions about the program make matters worse. DACA recipients are required to pay federal income taxes, however, they don’t have access to the same federal funds other taxpayers do like Medicare and FAFSA. Depending on the state, some DACA recipients are required to pay out-of-state tuition despite living in the state.
Since she was a child, Guerrero dreamed of attending college. That dream finally became a reality when she began attending Boise State University, double majoring in communications and criminal justice.
Due to limited funding options, she paid her way through college, occasionally having to take time off and not be a full-time student, Guerrero said.
Monica Carillo-Casas, a third-year student at UI, has encountered similar challenges.
As a DACA recipient herself, Carillo-Casas consistently encounters questions about what the policy means. She decided to reach out to the Office of Multicultural Affairs and organize the first DACA Awareness Week at the university.
Events aimed at educating, informing and spreading awareness about DACA were hosted March 22-26. Guerrero shared her experience as a DACA recipient and introduced the Butterfly Migration Project during her keynote event, “Spreading Hope, Creating Change.”
“We have a small group of DACA recipients, daughters and sons of immigrants that are trying to help and get people to tell their stories,” Carillo-Casas said. “We are hoping to bring people together and try to bring it all together in Washington D.C. to hopefully make a change in that way.”
A third-year student, Francisco Vazquez serves as the community service chair for the Multicultural Greek Council. He said bringing awareness to the program is a step in the right direction.
“I grew up with students who were DACA recipients, but this stuff didn’t hit me until I got to college,” Vazquez said. “Making friends that deal with these experiences, it makes me more empathetic to them and has made me do my research.”
DACA recipients and their allies remain resilient in hopes of one day establishing a permanent pathway to U.S. citizenship.
The Butterfly Migration Project has a goal to create 500 or more butterfly cutouts by April 15. To be involved with the national movement, visit the ACLU website.
Evelyn Avitia can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @Eavitia_