Many questions remain unanswered after the deadline for Deferred Act for Childhood Arrivals known as DACA ended March 5.
Now, the lives of more than 700,000 Dreamers protected by this act are currently on hold.
- March 5 marks day DACA is supposed to end
- Congress has not come up w/ law to replace DACA
- Dreamers are in limbo, says immigration attorney
Monday was the deadline President Donald Trump set for DACA recipients, but as of right now they can still apply. The problem is they are unsure how long that will last.
Monday afternoon, Central Florida Dreamers and community members gathered in front of Senator Marco Rubio’s office in Orlando to protest. Frustration and passion was heard in their cries for justice after Congress failed to make a decision.
"We're still waiting, we're here. The problem is not gone, and we need them to do something regardless of whether it's March 5 or June. We need them to do something," said Anallely, a Dreamer who preferred omitting her last name to protect her family.
Sixteen years ago, her parents brought her from Mexico, running away from crime and violence. The last thing she wants is to go back.
"My life is literally on the line, because Mexico is so dangerous, that you know going back might mean that I get kidnapped or maybe even killed," she said.
As dozens marched through the streets of downtown Orlando they asked for equality and compassion when deciding on the future of thousands of families.
When President Donald Trump eliminated DACA back in September, he created a six-month delay to give Congress time to come up with a version to protect undocumented immigrants who had come to the U.S. as children. But as of right now, Congress hasn’t created a law to replace the order.
Dreamers like Anallely could face deportation depending on what Congress decides, even if she’s been in the U.S. for almost her entire life.
“Without a congressional fix these Dreamers remain in danger. They are in limbo right now because they don’t know what their status will be tomorrow,” said Immigration Attorney Henry Lim.
Earlier this year, federal courts temporarily overruled President Trump and ordered renewals to continue for previous DACA recipients.
Then last month, the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to hear the appeal to that ruling, which essentially marked the deadline irrelevant.
"In a perfect world, everybody would live with dignity. We wouldn't be living this injustice, and in a perfect world people shouldn't be measured by a piece of paper," Anallely said.