Crowd gathers to commemorate 9th DACA’s ninth anniversary
Protestors call for a pathway to citizenship
WASHINGTON, D.C. (KYMA, KECY) - Tuesday marked the ninth anniversary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.
Dozens gathered in Lafayette Square, just steps from the White House, and called for the Biden Administration to deliver them a pathway to citizenship.
Recipients and applicants, also known as "dreamers," praise the DACA program. Some say it has been instrumental in helping them find career opportunities. Others say it's given them a sense of security, since they know they won't be deported. However, they also say it's only a temporary solution. They say there needs to be a way for them to finally achieve full citizenship.
"DACA is a great program But it is the floor not the ceiling. There is so much more that we could have for our community to not live in fear all the time of whether or not something is going to be taken away, if this will be our last day here. DACA is very temporary and as we have seen it has been under attack multiple times," said DACA applicant Karla Mercado Dorado.
"I would like them to make a pathway to citizenship for so many DACA students that worked so hard to get into college and actually graduate. And after they graduate, they don't know what to do next because some careers actually require you to have a certification, which isn't possible if you are not a permanent resident or US citizen." said dreamer Andrea Chavez.
President Barack Obama instituted the DACA program in 2012 as a stopgap measure to prevent minors brought into the U.S. illegally from being deported. Applications for the program are still being accepted.
