'Dreamer' community in shock after sources say President Trump ending DACA program

Lilian Kim Image
ByLilian Kim KGO logo
Monday, September 4, 2017
'Dreamers' shocked after sources say President ending DACA
The dreamer community is in shock Sunday night as sources tell the Associated Press that President Trump has decided to end a program that protects young undocumented immigrants from deportation.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- The dreamer community is in shock Sunday night as sources tell the Associated Press that President Trump has decided to end a program that protects young undocumented immigrants from deportation.

"I just feel like my life is crumbling," San Jose resident Cecilia Chavez said.

Chavez is one of 800,000 so-called "dreamers" - young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, but were protected from deportation.

She holds a master's degree from San Jose State University, is the mother of two children and works as a community organizer.

It's a life that's now in flux.

"So many people depend on me. My parents depend on me, depend on my income. My children depend on me. For him to terminate DACA, he has no idea what he's doing," Chavez said.

The President's decision to end DACA, which stands for deferred action for childhood arrivals, means dreamers would no longer be allowed to work legally - and in certain states, apply for a driver's license.

Mr. Trump wants to end the Obama-era program in six months, a delay to give Congress time to consider its own legislation.

Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese says there are 24,000 dreamers in his county alone.

He says he and his colleagues are ready to fight and are prepared to pursue all legal avenues to protect them.

"These are kids, young people who really don't know any other world than the United States of America. We've done everything we can thus far to protect them and we'll continue to try and protect them going forward," Cortese said.

But, dreamers like Chavez can't help but fear the worst. "Are we now put in deportation proceedings? I don't know. I don't know what's next."