One Year Later, Undocumented Youth Program a Success

Congress went on recess earlier this month without passing immigration reform.
“I believe that this president will be tempted if nothing happens in Congress, he will be tempted, to issue an executive order like he did for the DREAM kids a year ago, where he basically legalizes 11 million people,” warned Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) on talk radio.
The executive order President Obama signed created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program–or DACA.
Under the program “eligible individuals who do not present a risk to national security or public safety will be able to request temporary relief from deportation proceedings and apply for work authorizations,” announced President Obama last year. 
He issued the order in response to Congress’ failure to act on the DREAM Act, which would have provided permanent residency for undocumented immigrant Americans who came the U.S. as children.
The program was designed for “young people who study in our schools, they play in our neighborhood, they are friends with our kids, they pledge allegiance to our flag,” the president said at the time of the signing. “They are Americans in their hearts, in their minds, in every single way–except one–on paper.”
While Congress may be unable to pass the DREAM Act, or immigration reform, DACA has been quite successful. So far over half of the 900,000 people who are eligible have applied, and most of them have been accepted into the program.
Hareth Andrade discusses her experience with the program and what it means to the undocumented youth community. She is a 20-year-old Bolivian native that came to the United States in 2001.
23 year-old Hina Naveed [Hen-nah nuh-VEED]. Hina’s family is Pakistani. They moved here… from Dubai… in 2001. 

And 23-year-old Hina Naveed is Pakistani. Her family moved here from Dubai in 2001. She shares her DACA experience as well. 
Stay up to date with The Takeaway–become a Facebook fan & follow us on Twitter!