decade of daca
June 2022 marks the 10th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, established by President Obama in 2012. DACA provides temporary relief from deportation and work authorization to certain young undocumented immigrants, commonly referred to as “Dreamers.”
DACA recipients must renew their status every two years, paying hundreds of dollars. While DACA has provided dozens of young people in Maine with opportunities that would have not been possible otherwise, they still hang in legal limbo and uncertainty, forced to live life in two year increments.
Read reflections on the DACA anniversary from Maine leaders here.
community stories
Read the stories of two Maine Dreamers to learn what it’s like to live under the temporary protections of DACA and understand what citizenship would mean for Maine DACA recipients - and our communities! Their names have been changed to protect privacy.
ANTHONY
Anthony came to the U.S. when he was four years old, his family fleeing gang violence in El Salvador. He was a star student, but as a DACA recipient without access to financial aid he wasn’t able to pursue his academic dreams. Today, he works a good job in the construction industry. Maine is his home, yet still he lives with the constant uncertainty that accompanies DACA’s temporary protections.
If Anthony had the opportunity to speak directly to Congress today, he would say this:
“I’m just here to do the right thing, to better myself, to feel safe. We’re young, we’re the future. This is where we grew up. This is what we know as home. If you send us back, we will be lost. We have been waiting 10 years, now is the time for citizenship. It is time to take a step. You must not continue to push DACA to the side. We need change. We can’t be living our lives this way anymore. Citizenship now. That’s what we ask for.”
GISSELLE
Gisselle, another DACA recipient living in Maine, came to the U.S. from Honduras when she was eight years old after a childhood separated from her parents. She became the first person in her family to get a high school education and is now working her way through nursing school. She dreams of being able to travel as a nurse and take trips to visit family back in Honduras, but DACA makes travel outside the U.S. difficult.
If Gisselle could speak directly to Congress, she would say this:
“First of all, I am thankful for DACA on its own. It’s been a privilege. The U.S. means a lot to me. It’s my life. It’s my country. I can’t see myself anywhere else. Citizenship or a green card would mean a lot for me, my stability, my family. I want to study as much as I can. I would be more secure knowing I could take care of my mother when she grows old. I want no limits on me.”
Take Action
On the 10th anniversary of DACA, June 15, 2022, take action for Maine’s DACA recipients and demand a path to citizenship now for ALL undocumented people. To get started, download our #MainersForDreamers toolkit!