DACA

Completed in 2020 for audio story

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program or DACA was put in place by the Obama administration to help protect undocumented children whose parents brought them into the U.S. from another country.

The Trump administration has been trying to eliminate the program but was stopped by the federal courts for the time being. DACA recipients are in limbo. Without the confirmation of this program's future, recipients are wondering if they should continue with their renewal process. For this reason the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, also known as MIRA, has been pushing to help keep DACA in place, and is encouraging people to continue to renew their DACA. 

The MIRA Coalition says active DACA enrollments have dropped by 17,000 over the last few months nationally . The number of DACA enrollments in Massachusetts has decreased to around 5,900 in the last two years.

They say these young immigrants are worried about their future and the possibility of being deported.

Sal Figueroa, who is DACAmented, is concerned about younger generations who have depended on DACA for the majority of their life. “These kids that grew up, that DACA is all they know they might be caught into this ‘oh shoot what am I going to do know like the world is ending” stated Figueroa. 

Even with the uncertainty of DACAs future the MIRA Coalition, along with other programs, are encouraging recipients to renew DACA as there are many benefits to having it. 

Minerva Gomez, community outreach worker for DACA program, has seen the benefits that come along with this program throughout the years. 

“Someone could work here in the United States legally quote on quote, they would not risk deportation and they would be able to go to college, apply for financial aid and get a drivers license in some states” stated Gomez.

Marion Davis, the Director of Communications at the MIRA coalition, says it’s important for young people to renew because it will allow them to obtain a drivers license for the first time, pursue an education, begin a career, travel, and participate in their communities. Specifically in Massachusetts, DACA recipients are able to pursue an education with in-state tuition at public colleges and universities. 

Organizations across the country, like MIRA, continue to educate communities as well as government entities about the importance of DACA in hopes of keeping the program operational.