Currents News Staff
The Supreme Court announced that it is blocking President Trump’s attempt to end DACA – or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
That means – at least for now – that children who were brought to the United States illegally are safe from deportation.
“I say I am from Santa Cruz,” Gabriela Cruz, who was actually born in Mexico, told Currents News. “I am from Santa Cruz, California because this is where my home is, this is where I’ve lived for almost 30 years now, and all of my memories growing up are here.”
She was brought to the U.S. when she was one, and it wasn’t until eighth grade that she realized she was undocumented.
“I just remember feeling heart broken,” she said. “I think for a really long time I tried not to think about it and just push it aside but the older I got the more it became, I became more and more aware that I was different than my peers.”
And in the age of COVID-19, those differences are even greater for the undocumented community.
Rates of infections are higher for hispanics than many other groups of people in America and undocumented immigrants don’t get unemployment benefits or stimulus checks.
“People like myself, who have now become sole providers for a lot of our family are left without employment, income and also healthcare benefits,” Gabriela explained.
Her mom was laid off and the tables have turned, as Gabriela is now helping her.
She says she will continue to fight for her mother, her friends and colleagues.
“With or without DACA, our community is going to continue to fight for what is right and what we deserve, and what we deserve does not end or begin with DACA,” Gabriela added.