Arizona State University student jailed, on hunger strike for DREAM Act

PHOENIX — A student from Arizona State University is among a group of people who have been on a hunger strike since they were arrested Friday for protesting at congressional offices.

Belen Sisa, a senior at the university, is one of seven Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients who are detained in a Washington, D.C., jail. The group is also joined by an ally.

Sisa and her fellow activists are vowing to continue their hunger strike and remain in jail until Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.) secure enough votes to block any spending bill that does not include a permanent solution to replace the DACA program.

If you're reading this, I have been arrested in Washington, D.C. and will refuse to leave jail until @SenSchumer and @RepCurbelo publicly confirm that they have whipped the votes to block any spending bill that does not include a Clean Dream Act. #NoDreamNoDeal

— Belén Sisa (@belensisaw) December 16, 2017

This comes after President Donald Trump announced an end to the program in September.

“During my time in jail, I will be risking it all by facing possible detention and deportation by refusing to leave until our demands are met,” Sisa wrote in a statement before her arrest.

Congress has until Friday to pass a spending bill in order to avert a government shutdown. Sisa and the other DREAMers arrested are calling for the DREAM Act to be attached to the spending bill.

If approved, the DREAM Act would pave a path to citizenship for undocumented youth brought to the United States as children and essentially replace the DACA program.

In her statement, Sisa wrote about her decision to get arrested as a way to push for the DREAM Act.

“I am tired of living with the constant stress and anxiety of not knowing what my future will look like in the next few months,” she said.

“I am tired of seeing my friends crying, because they will be losing their ability to provide for their children, work, go to school or live safely in the place they call home.”

Sisa, who is originally from Argentina, has been living in Arizona since she was 6 years old. The DACA program allowed her to pay in-state tuition at ASU, where she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in political science.

This is the second time Sisa has been arrested while advocating for the DREAM Act.

She was first arrested in November at the Philip A. Hart Senate Office Building after disobeying orders from U.S. Capitol Police officers to stop chanting.

In her previous arrest, she was released within a few hours. This time, she has been in jail for three days.

A judge prevented Sisa and the other DREAMers who were arrested from being released on Friday after they refused to give their identities.

Attorney Mark Goldstone said the group wants to remain in jail until there are enough votes to pass a clean DREAM Act with no measures to ramp up border security or funding to build a border wall.

In the meantime, Goldstone said the group is at risk of having U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement revoke their DACA status.

“That’s what we’re fearful of and we hope that doesn’t happen,” Goldstone said.

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