Last September, the Trump administration announced that it would rescind the protections granted by DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals—an Obama-era program that shielded undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children from deportation. Though the action was quickly challenged by several federal lawsuits, there has been no clear resolution, leaving more than 700,000 DACA recipients and their families in limbo.
While several judges blocked the Trump administration’s move and DACA recipients can currently apply to renew their status, the program’s legal future might be tied up by another case in Texas. Seven state attorneys general sued the federal government to end the program earlier this year, and in September, the Texas-based judge, Andrew Hanen, allowed DACA to continue for the time being, but noted that he believed the program was likely illegal. If Hanen eventually rules against the program, the conflicting decision could send the cases up to the Supreme Court. If this happens, and if nominee Brett Kavanaugh is in fact confirmed, it’s likely that he would cast the deciding vote on the program.
Earlier this year, we asked DACA recipients to share their stories with us—about what it it’s like to go to school without knowing if you’ll be able to legally work afterward, about finding out for the first time that you’re undocumented, and about why it’s important to keep moving forward. To mark the year of uncertainty at the hands of Trump, we want to share what these young men and women have to say, in their own words. Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
[For more on this story by Kanyakrit Vongkiatkajorn and Al Kamalizad, go to https://www.motherjones.com/po...-tell-their-stories/]
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