San Jose 'Dreamers' fight to defend DACA against another attempt at overturning policy

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program, or DACA, has given undocumented children of immigrants opportunities to live and work in the United States for more than a decade.

But these protections are once again under attack as conservative leaders seek to overturn the policy in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

DACA has given many what's known as the American Dream. It's the reality for San Jose's Cesar Bautista.

The child of immigrants, Bautista was given opportunities in this country to become an immigration lawyer in order to help others.

DACA has allowed hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, like Bautista, to work and live without fear of deportation - they're known as dreamers.

MORE: Immigrants brought to the US as children ask judges to keep protections against deportation

"It really opened all doors for me and it meant that I could actually work in this country and exercise a profession in this country, which is what I'm currently doing," Bautista said. "If DACA were to go away - it's almost unimaginable."

For Bautista, the unimaginable feels like a possibility.

Thursday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans heard arguments that could threaten the programs existence.

Representative Zoe Lofgren was one of the architects of the policy, and she says despite DACA's strong legal standing, this case will likely go to the Supreme Court.

It's not the first time opponents have sought to overturn DACA, the latest efforts happened during the last Trump administration.

MORE: President Biden announces relief for some undocumented spouses of US citizens, 'Dreamers'

Lofgren fears for the dreamers.

"They're in limbo," Lofgren said. "We've got MDs and they're in limbo. We have a doctor shortage and we've got young people who've graduated from medical school and they're facing possible deportation if Trump is elected - this is crazy."

Congresswoman Lofgren and Congressman Jimmy Panetta stood with a group of DACA advocates in defense of this life-changing policy.

The representatives are calling on their colleagues in Congress to reform immigration laws to create permanent DACA protections for the benefit of dreamers everywhere.

"We are here to let dreamers, TPS recipients, farmworkers and their families know that we will continue the fight and we will not give up fighting to ensure the proper protections are in place, no matter who's in the White House and no matter who's in charge of Congress," Panetta said.