As we noted earlier today, the future of DACA will be one of the first tests of a Donald Trump Administration. More than 750,000 DREAMers depend on this program to run their businesses, go to school, and live with some peace of mind in the only place they call home.
“If the DACA program is phased out by President-elect Trump,” writes DACA recipient and America’s Voice Digital Campaigns Manager Juan Escalante in a new Medium post today, “then it would not only end our permission to work for 800,000 immigrants like me and leave us exposed to deportation.”
In a viral #WithDACA hashtag campaign — kicked off by our friend, Gaby Pacheco — many other young immigrants like Juan expressed what they’ve been able to achieve thanks to the DACA program — and exactly how much is at stake.
“As we start the count down to Trump becoming the president, we need to figure out ways to deter him from his campaign promise to overturn the #DACAprogram,” Pacheco wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday. “We’ve started a grassroots campaign where we are asking all #DACAmented people to share their accomplishments after DACA on social media, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. Please use the hashtag #WithDACA and then share what you’ve done after you received your DACA.”
Some of the most inspiring tweets are below.
#WithDACA I’m able to work @thedream_us A scholarship program for immigrant youth with DACA & TPS. (New Scholarship round opens Nov. 15th)
— Gaby Pacheco (@GabyPacheco1) November 10, 2016
#WithDACA I was able to buy my parents a house, buy them a car, better provide for my son, get an engineering job and pay 40k in taxes
— Gabriel (@somfolnalco) November 13, 2016
#WithDACA I earned a graduate degree in educational leadership and plan to work tirelessly for the betterment of my community #HeretoStay
— Alonso (@areynarivarola) November 15, 2016
#WithDACA I supported a US presidential campaign, volunteered over 8,000 hours, & adopted a cat.
— Catalina Velasquez (@ConsultCatalina) November 16, 2016
#WithDACA I was able to do many basic teenage things; such as get a driver’s license and get a job.Why should I allow that to be taken away?
— – p a u l i t a – (@paulaaamoraless) November 16, 2016
#WithDACA I have been able to obtain my drivers license, buy a new car, gain health insurance, and work for a nonprofit to reduce drug use.
— 🎄..call me Josh..🎄 (@joshie1206) November 15, 2016
#WithDACA I will attend college and become a special ed teacher and strive in life
— Mayra Hernandez 👸🏽 (@mhc_19) November 15, 2016
#WithDACA I served as a science teacher at a Title I school in Watts while earning my Master in Urban Education Policy. ✊🏽#heretostay
— Jaime Ballesteros (@JaiBallest) November 13, 2016
#WithDACA I was able to obtain my driver license and finished two certifications as a paralegal and legal secretary. #Heretostay
— laulopez (@lacami08) November 15, 2016
#withDACA I was able to earn my bachelors degree in nursing at @UMUC. Now im a registered nurse working in the operating room. pic.twitter.com/8gHJI1AZ2K
— Jose Aguiluz (@jaaguiluz) November 15, 2016
#WithDACA I got my drivers license, I’m a Certified Nursing/Medication Assistant and plan on going to nursing school. https://t.co/BypstxQ9nf
— Juan Paco Hernandez (@paco90766) November 15, 2016
#WithDACA I was able to get my degree, work for a public school district, support my family, volunteer, and pay taxes. #HeretoStay
— Claudia V. Lemus (@ClaudiaVLemus) November 15, 2016
@realDonaldTrump #WithDACA I went from cleaning offices at night to owning my own small business, and working in Web/Android development.
— John F Gomez (@lighterletter) November 15, 2016
