Trinidadian Rishi Singh, 29, known as the "Queens Dreamer," was among six young undocumented immigrants who had the privilege of meeting with President of the United States (US) Barack Obama at his Oval Office in the White House, Washington DC, on February 4.
Singh described his meeting with Obama as a nervous and exciting moment.
He saw it as an opportunity to represent the larger immigrant community and to let their voices be heard.
Singh was able to convey to Obama that the most recent immigration actions implemented, and which he and others all fought for, will help many in communities throughout the US.
Singh, along with the five others, benefitted from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) programme.
"We need to go further. More than half of the undocumented immigrant population is still at risk of detentions and deportations."
In 2012, through organising and pressure from the grassroots community, Obama passed a programme through executive action called Daca, which gave relief to over 600,000 undocumented young people that came to the US before the age of 16 and were under 30 years old, who were in the US prior to January 2007, and some other criteria.
The relief/deferred action status allows those that qualify to obtain a social security number and work authorisation for two-year periods which would be renewable. This has allowed them to work legally in the US, obtain a driver's licence (in some states), get credit cards, obtain government issued IDs, the ability to travel within the US by plane (international travel in certain circumstances and approval needs to be obtained).
Singh received deferred action status in 2013, which has allowed him to work legally, obtain a NY driver's licence, and other benefits.
"In November 2014, we were able to win an expansion of Daca (age cap removed and be in the US prior to January 2010) and a new programme that would benefit undocumented parents of US citizens (children) or legal permanent resident children."
He said it was estimated that these new programmes would benefit over four million people.
Singh has been able to build the leadership of hundreds of young people in New York City through the organisation he currently works for–DRUM-South Asian Organising Centre. He has been working at this organisation for over a decade.
He was part of efforts to change both local New York City policies and national policies that will provide greater equity, justice and resources to marginalised communities and working class communities of colour. He was also able to address the United Nations during the High-Level Dialogue of Migration and Development Civil Society Day in 2013, highlighting the need to end the criminalisation of immigrants and shift from neo-liberal led migration and development policies to a human rights framework.
In search of a better life
Singh came with his family from Trinidad on a visitors visa to the US at the age of 10. They overstayed their visa and became out of status/undocumented. His mother is originally from Woodland, south Trinidad and his father, who passed away five years ago, was from Esperanza Village, also in south Trinidad. He explained that his parents only wanted a better life and believed that the US would have granted opportunities for this.
Singh said being undocumented in the US has many obstacles and limitations but there are many people that choose to organise and build community power to change the laws and conditions that affect their lives.
"I decided to walk that path almost 12 years ago, when I was 17 years old."
Singh realised he was undocumented when he was graduating from high school at the age of 17.
"It was when I was applying to universities that my advisers asked me about my status and I found out that we were undocumented. I had graduated top of my class but due to my status, I was unable to obtain financial aid or scholarships to pay for universities that I wanted to go to. I ended up going to public university (Hunter College of the City University of NY). I received a bachelors degree in Psychology and after graduating, I went back to get a second degree in accounting since I did not have my status and was unable to work legally."
After graduating from high school he became an active organiser in the immigrant community in order to help in getting greater access and resources for all immigrantyouth and families. As a result of his efforts, Singh finally met Obama this year. This, he said, was due to a grassroots campaign which undocumented people from all across the US worked on to push Obama and others to provide relief for the millions of undocumented people in the US.
"It is estimated that there are upwards of 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US."
He assured that he will continue to organise for immigrants' rights, "to make sure the immigration actions we won are implemented and all others will be able to be protected."
For his long-term goals, Singh said he wanted to be able to help people and support the development of others, and be part of the movement to continue to win greater rights and justice for all people.
"I would like people to understand that being immigrants in another country and in particular being undocumented may present many obstacles in schools, work, and every-day life, but it's nothing to be ashamed of.
"Change doesn't come about on its own. There is power when people collectively work to change their conditions and stand up and fight in the face of adversity." He said understanding, bridging and owning identities from race, class, gender, religion, sexuality, and any other can create a more just and fair world.
Singh said he was thinking strongly in terms of starting up his own human rights organisation in the future.
What's the Queens Dreamer?
The "Queens Dreamer" is a terminology used to refer to Singh. "Queens" because he lives in Queens, New York, and "Dreamer" is a term used in the United States to refer to young people who are undocumented immigrants (youths brought to the US at a young age but do not have their papers/green card/legal immigration status).
About DRUM-South Asian organising centre
DRUM-South Asian Organising Centre is a community based non-profit organisation that builds the leadership and power of the South Asian diaspora of working class immigrant youth, families and workers for economic and educational justice, immigrant and civil rights. People who are directly affected have the ability to transform their conditions and the policies that affect their lives and through political education and grassroots campaigns to change local and national policies.