Last week, staff reporter Danyelle Khmara covered the immediate aftermath of the Trump administration's decision to pull the plug on the DACA program for undocumented youth. But as the reaction grew, we decided there was a lot more to the story than we were able to tell, so we've expanded on it in this week's cover story. Danyelle introduces you to some of the DREAMers who are seeing their lives shattered and takes a look at what some of politicians who will decide their fate are saying. She's also got information about ways you can help them with their upcoming legal fight.
I also invited Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Lea Marquez Peterson to pen an article that examines the economic impact of Trump's decision to curtail the DACA program. Lea cites a 2016 study that showed that unless Congress acts, the end of DACA will cost employers $3.4 billion in unnecessary turnover costs, cut contributions to Medicare and Social Security by $24.6 billion over a decade and equate to a $460.3 billion economic impact to our national GDP. As Lea observes: "These are numbers that should sway any legislator or political leader regardless of party affiliation."
There's lots more to this story than we've been able to cover in the last two editions, but rest assured that Danyelle will follow up with breaking news and analysis in the months to come. Will all this attention on the plight of undocumented youth get Congress to finally act? Well, we can DREAM, can't we?
Elsewhere in the book: Margaret Regan talks with Tucson journalist and author Todd Miller, whose new book Storming the Gates examines how climate change is going to turbocharge immigration movements around the globe; Emily Dieckman spends an evening hanging out at the Rhythm Industry Performance Factory (and sees an enormous glowing fish in fishnet stockings, a sort of reverse mermaid, as foretold by prophecy); columnist Tom Danehy looks into some potential future careers for his third act; Mark Whittaker tells you about a new restaurant serving eggs and cold beer on the always-bustling Fourth Avenue; and Brett Callwood catches up with former Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson, whose new band, The Magpie Salute, is performing at the Fox Theatre on Tuesday, Sept. 19. Plus there's lots more about how to have fun and where to eat in our calendar and food sections. So what are you waiting for? Dig in, already!
— Jim Nintzel, Editor