On Saturday, people in the United States will celebrate their favorite Mexican holiday, Cinco de Mayo. While it’s become an occasion to drink and wear sombreros and fake mustaches (please don’t do this) in the United States, Cinco de Mayo – a day many in the US confuse with Mexico’s independence day – commemorates the 1862 Battle of Puebla, where the Mexican army defeated the invading French. This Cinco de Mayo Eve, Nestor Ruiz wants us to channel our energy into helping a vulnerable group. Ruiz launched a #CincoDeDACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) fundraiser to help immigrant youth renew their status, which protects them from deportation.
The idea came to him as he scrolled down his feed and saw lots of excitement for Cinco de Mayo. While speaking with a friend, he ended up joking about a fundraiser called #CincoDeDACA, and after a little encouragement he decided to go for it. “This administration is out to get undocumented people like me,” Nestor, the National Digital Organizer for United We Dream, tells Remezcla via a message. “They are hunting us down in schools, hospitals, churches, our workplaces and hasta on the Greyhound in order to put us in detention camps and then erase us from this country. So because folks love celebrating Cinco de Mayo in this country, I thought they could better invest that energy and funds into helping immigrant youth renew their DACA status.”
In September, the Trump Administration announced the end of the program, before officially rescinding it in March. However, court ruling have kept the program alive. Most recently, a third federal judge rejected the Administration’s reasoning for ending the program.