Tulsa Dreamers Worried For Future After Trump Administration’s DACA Announcement

<p>President Donald Trump is ending a program that shielded hundreds of thousands of immigrants from deportation and many Tulsa dreamers are worried about the future.</p>

Tuesday, September 5th 2017, 7:30 pm

By: News On 6


President Donald Trump is ending a program that shielded hundreds of thousands of immigrants from deportation.

The administration says it will begin withdrawing about 800,000 work permits from people who were protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

As for what to do with those people, the Trump administration has put it on Congress to work out a solution.

9/5/2017 Related Story: Trump Rescinding DACA Program Protecting Young Immigrants

Some affected are immigrants in Tulsa who are now afraid of deportation.

"We moved here to the United States when I was 11," one girl said.

Another said, "I came to United States when I was three years old; my parents crossed the border."

Neither of these dreamers wanted to be identified.

"I am just in a limbo knowing they can come and knock on my house anytime," one said.

The girls said entering the country illegally is not something they would've chosen for themselves, but it is their reality, and they choose to make the best of it.

"It's the American dream, that's all we want," they said.

One of the girls graduated high school, fell in love and had children. She said when President Barack Obama signed DACA she was able to start a career and provide for her family for the first time.

"This is my country. I pledge of allegiance every football game because that is what I've known all my life," she said.

Once the other girl was approved for DACA, her family had to go back to Mexico and told her to stay behind to continue her education.

She’s now working her way through college and hoping to get into law school.

"I haven't seen my mom in almost three years. I haven't been able to visit my dad's funeral or put flowers on his grave, and that is just something that I want to do without it being terrified of not being able to come back," she said.

Tuesday, the Trump administration announced it is phasing out the program.

Now, these dreams say they are afraid the futures they've worked so hard for could be taken away.

"I have family in Mexico, but I wouldn't be able to go back. To what? When my whole life is here. My future, my kids," they said. "I hope that people realize it's not an easy life dreamers live."

If you are a DACA recipient, visit the following link for instructions on what to do next: Dream Act Oklahoma - Tulsa

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