Award-Winning 'Dreamer' Fears He Cannot Return to US

 

Jin Park is the first “Dreamer” from the United States to win a Rhodes scholarship. By being chosen, Park will receive financing to attend the University of Oxford¹ in England. But he risks not being permitted back in the U.S. if he studies there.

“Dreamers” are young adults who were brought to the country illegally as children. When Barack Obama was president, his administration set up a program that permitted them to stay. It is called Deferred² Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, for short.

In December, Park completed his studies at Harvard University in Massachusetts. But the excitement of winning the Rhodes scholarship has been replaced with feelings of uneasiness.

President Donald Trump³’s administration ended the ability of Dreamers to travel overseas when it began to discontinue the DACA program in 2017.

During the Obama administration, Dreamers were permitted limited overseas travel, including studying in other countries. Park and his supporters argue that such travel should still be permitted since federal courts have defended DACA for now.

“If I leave, there’s a very real possibility that I won’t be able to come back. That’s the biggest fear for sure,” said Park. His family came to the United States from South Korea when he was seven years old.

U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, which operates DACA, did not answer Associated Press, or AP, emails seeking comment.

Dreamers protected

“Dreamers” got their name because of proposals in the U.S. Congress called the DREAM Act. The proposals, however, did not pass. Still, Dreamers have remained protected from possible expulsion.

Park told the AP he has had a difficult time talking to his parents about the risks of accepting the Rhodes scholarship. They cried out in happiness when news of the award came.

“I’ve been avoiding that question,” he said days after finishing his studies at Harvard. “This was especially meaningful for them. It was like a validation⁶ of the sacrifices they’ve made for me.”

Nearly 700,000 individuals are currently on DACA, which was created in 2012 and can be renewed every two years. To be considered, immigrants must have entered the country by 2007 and been under age 16 when they arrived.

The Trump administration approved an order to end DACA in 2017, but federal judges in New York, California and Washington, D.C., ruled against those efforts last year. Their rulings have kept the program operating. The Trump administration is now seeking a Supreme⁷ Court decision.

Rhodes scholars offer advice

Past Rhodes scholars and other Rhodes Trust supporters are volunteering their advice to Park. But Elliot Gerson said the issue is a “matter of American law and not anything the Rhodes Trust can resolve alone.” Gerson is the British organization’s American secretary.

“Our hope is for federal action,” he added.

Kristian Ramos is a representative for Define American, an immigrant support organization that helped Park with his Rhodes scholarship proposal. Ramos said the government should enforce the law as it currently stands and let Jin study in England.

Park could reject the scholarship offer but has decided⁸ against that. He wants to remain a voice in the immigration debate and thinks the value of going to Oxford is greater than the risks.

“I’m looking forward to having that unstructured time to think about these broader questions of who belongs in America and the value judgments⁹ we make about others,” he said.

Park has been a voice for DACA recipients¹¹ since he was in high school. In 2015, he founded Higher Dreams, a nonprofit group that helps students without permanent immigration status gain admission to college.

With the help of Harvard, Park competed for the Rhodes scholarship last year. It was part of a larger effort to show how this and other awards ignored DACA recipients. The scholarship was created in 1902 by British businessmen and politician Cecil Rhodes. It pays all costs for at least two years of study at Oxford.

The story of Park’s application

Like many others in recent years, Park’s application for the scholarship was rejected, but the message was received. The Rhodes organization changed its policy effective this year. Park re-applied¹² and was accepted.

Gerson said the change shows the organization’s efforts to expand who can apply. Legal permanent residents and residents of U.S. territories like Puerto Rico have also been permitted to apply in recent years.

At Oxford, Park hopes to study migration⁴ and political theory as he decides his future.

The molecular¹³ and cell biology major has also applied to medical school. But he is still open to possibly working in city government, where he believes he can help change immigration policy “no matter who is in the White House.”

And no matter what happens next, Park still thinks of New York City as his home.

“For me, I think of Queens, New York,” he said. “Whatever happens, I’m always going to know that fact. Even if I have to spend the rest of my life convincing the administration, or whoever comes next.”

I’m Bryan Lynn. And I’m Alice Bryant.

Words in This Story

validation – n. the act of showing that someone's feelings or opinions are fair and reasonable

renew – v. to cause something to continue to be effective or valid⁵ for an additional period of time

trust – n. an arrangement in which someone's property or money is legally managed by someone else or by an organization

recipient¹⁰ – n. a person who receives something

application – n. a formal and usually written request for something, such as a job, admission to a school, or a loan

resident – n. a person who has the legal right to remain in a country but is not a citizen.

migration – n. the act of moving from one country or place to live or work in another

1 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

2 deferred   

adj.延期的，缓召的v.拖延，延缓，推迟( defer的过去式和过去分词 )；服从某人的意愿，遵从

参考例句：

• The department deferred the decision for six months. 这个部门推迟了六个月才作决定。
• a tax-deferred savings plan 延税储蓄计划

3 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

4 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

5 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

6 validation   

n.确认

参考例句：

• If the countdown timer ever hits zero, do your validation processing. 处理这种情况的方法是在输入的同时使用递减计时器，每次击键重新计时。如果递减计时器变为零，就开始验证。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Although the validation control is a very widespread idiom, most such controls can be improved. 虽然确认控件是非常广泛的习惯用法，但还有很多有待改进的地方。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

7 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

8 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

9 judgments   

判断( judgment的名词复数 )； 鉴定； 评价； 审判

参考例句：

• A peculiar austerity marked his judgments of modern life. 他对现代生活的批评带着一种特殊的苛刻。
• He is swift with his judgments. 他判断迅速。

10 recipient   

a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器

参考例句：

• Please check that you have a valid email certificate for each recipient. 请检查是否对每个接收者都有有效的电子邮件证书。
• Colombia is the biggest U . S aid recipient in Latin America. 哥伦比亚是美国在拉丁美洲最大的援助对象。

11 recipients   

adj.接受的；受领的；容纳的；愿意接受的n.收件人；接受者；受领者；接受器

参考例句：

• The recipients of the prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者的姓名登在报上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The recipients of prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者名单登在报上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

12 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

13 molecular   

adj.分子的；克分子的

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。
• For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。