RALEIGH – The Trump administration today announced it will move to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The DACA program has served as a critical lifeline for nearly 800,000 young immigrants, or “Dreamers,” who came to this country as children and know the United States as their only home.
More than 27,000 young people in North Carolina have received DACA, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of North Carolina is asking those affected by the decision to contact the organization.
“President Trump is cruelly throwing the lives and futures of 800,000 Dreamers, their families, and their communities into disarray,” said Irena Como, Staff Attorney for the ACLU of North Carolina. “In North Carolina, tens of thousands of our friends and neighbors have used DACA to contribute to the economy, get an education, and invest in the only home they know. Today the federal government has turned its back on these young people who came out of the shadows and worked hard to build their lives here. Congress must now act to provide permanent relief for Dreamers. The ACLU and our coalition partners are also exploring every possible measure to defend the rights of Dreamers to live and remain in the country that is their home.”
Among those who received DACA in North Carolina is Yazmin Garcia Rico, a Masters of Social Work candidate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“For me and thousands of other young people in North Carolina, DACA has been nothing short of life changing,” said Garcia Rico. “DACA has given me the chance to open a bank account, buy a car, and pursue my dreams while investing in my community. Revoking this program will mean that hundreds of thousands of young people could lose their ability to drive, to work, and to continue living in the country where we grew up and have established our lives. We are active and productive members of American society – we should not be forced back into the shadows.”
