In September, Texas Federal judge, Andrew Hanen ruled DACA to be unlawful. Now, the US government will not accept any new applicants into the program. However, It is still intact for any existing recipients during the appeal process DACA is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Its intention is to defer the deportation of “Dreamers”. DACA recipients could renew after a two-year period and they are eligible to receive a work permit. 

The Impact:

Many Rio Hondo students are Dreamers. For them, this new legislation could have a huge impact on their livelihood. The overturning means that for students who are not enrolled, there is no clear pathway to work. There will not be any work authorization cards to hand out. This severely puts limits on jobs and choices available for undocumented students. 

Who could help?:

Kae Reinoza is a Student support assistant in Rio Hondo’s Dreamer’s Resource Center located in the Learning Resource Building. They said, “Students who are currently enrolled in DACA are in a state of limbo because they are not sure if it will continue to be overturned or if they will be able to continue to renew in the program”. The Dreamer’s Resource Center is a sort of hub filled with information and resources available to Rio Hondo’s Dreamer students. Some of the services offered here are free legal services, scholarship assistance and mental health groups. 

Reinoza encourages students to stay informed about any changes with the legislation. They also advised students to continue to inform the community about what is happening. Reinoza recommends sources such as Immigrants Rising to stay on top of the latest updates. “Students should encourage other undocumented students to reach out to the Dream Center”, Reinoza suggests that students should advocate for each other during these times of uncertainty.