Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has been in the spotlight since announcing his second run for president in 2020. He has begun raising funds, created a campaign organization and started the slow but steady path to the primaries. One of the staffers he has hired for his second attempt to gain the highest office in the land, though, is an illegal immigrant, solidifying the aging socialist’s take on the immigration crisis.
Arizona resident and political activist Belen Sisa, who refers to herself as an “immigrant without legal status” was recently appointed to the position of deputy press secretary on the Sanders 2020 team. The 25-year-old activist is one of thousands of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients. Her protections, legal status and benefits will likely expire in the next year, based on her age and other factors.
“This is really emotional for me,” Sisa wrote in a Facebook post. “I can’t help but think of 18-year-old Belén, who felt hopeless and powerless to the anti-immigrant attacks and policies that were holding her back from her dreams…I cant help but think of the generations of sacrifice my family has had to do for me to get here. Never in our wildest dreams did we think I’d be making moves like these.”
Sisa was brought to the United States illegally at the age of six. Her family came to the country from Argentina without following any of the accepted rules and protocols for legal immigration. She is covered under the DACA program put into place through executive fiat by former President Barack Obama.
Sisa has been active in liberal politics for several years. Her activities include service as a page during the 2016 Democratic National Convention, and performing outreach work in immigrant and Hispanic communities for Bernie Sanders in 2016. She then switched allegiance to Hillary Clinton when Sanders lost his bid for the top spot in the Democratic primary.
Since entering the country, Sisa has also been arrested twice in the past three years for participating in political protests. This included a sit-in outside of Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer’s office, which led to a brief stint in jail in 2017. Sisa claimed to have started a prison strike during the hours spent in custody.
She was also arrested for an immigration reform protest demanding that Congress formally pass the DREAM act – a program that would make the status of DACA recipients permanent without any other qualifications. She and thousands of other DACA recipients would directly benefit from the DREAM act if passed.
“She’s so brave,” said Isabel O’Neal (Sisa’s mother), according to Fox News. “DACA is expiring every day. Hers is going to expire in one year and what are we going to do with all of these youth? Congress has to pass the DREAM Act.”
Sisa is already hard at work for Bernie Sanders as a Deputy Press Secretary and according to news reports, plans on staying in that role until the election.
~ Liberty Planet
