I came to Colorado from Mexico as a young child. Nearly 15 years have passed since then, and I’ve built my entire life here. Unfortunately, all that I’ve built could be stripped if the U.S. Supreme Court ends my protections and a permanent DACA solution isn’t passed by Congress.
Since 2012, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program has given young immigrants the ability to legally study and work in the U.S. In September 2017, the administration ended the program, but court injunctions have allowed the program to temporarily remain. The future of the program has made its way to the Supreme Court, which is expected to issue a decision anytime early this year regarding the fate of the program and the 700,000 DACA recipients it protects.
DACA recipients are as American (and Coloradan) as they come. I grew up attending Colorado schools and, because I love the outdoors and wanted to test myself, even became an Eagle Scout.
We want to continue contributing. but without permanent DACA protections, our futures in the U.S. are in jeopardy.
If I lose my protections, I won’t be able to accomplish higher goals like going to law school, supporting my family and contributing to Colorado. Most importantly, I’m afraid I won’t be able to see my daughter anymore.
Eligible DACA recipients need to consult an attorney and renew their DACA status, and Sens. Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner need to continue to work in a bipartisan manner to pass permanent Dreamer protections urgently.