An Undocumented Immigration Attorney Reacts To End Of DACA

Thousands of people in the San Diego area have been helped by DACA referrals, and it has enabled them to pursue higher education and careers. Today of course, the Trump administration announced the DACA program would be phased out. Last month, we spoke with immigration attorney in DACA recipient, Dulce Garcia in her San Diego office, who told us about what life was like before DACA.Life here, growing up was tough. We had to deal with homelessness, we wouldn't go out much, we were scared of getting caught. I didn't visit places aside from school strips. We definitely lacked healthcare. My parents were filing taxes contribute to the system, working but weren't able to benefit from anything, from public assistance. It was a struggle. A river scared all the time even local police officers who would not stay away as much is possible.That was immigration attorney in DACA recipients and Dulce Garcia who joins us now. we heard about would like for you was like before DACA. What about after? How did it change your life?It completely changed my life. I am able to breathe I can ride the trolley even knowing if an officer questions my legal status I'm saying to hate -- say I have doc I have protection now from deportation. Just been able to get a license, as it will open my business I can employ U.S. citizens and I do I have three U.S. citizen employees under me. DACA did change my life despite me acquiring it after after graduation from law school. It still change my life.I know you have been contemplating the phaseout of DACA that we heard about today. What are your thoughts now that it is official.Now that it is official I am outraged by the way this is happening. The administration this morning had a choice to not do anything about it and keep DACA without action without doing anything further. The way that it is doing it is cruel. Putting an expiration date on the dreams of many of our youth. Putting our community in danger if it's an expiration date to that protection the most of us have been afforded the last few years through the way of deferred action.Immigration attorney Ginger Jacobs, who we spoke to earlier is advising her clients not to change anything yet because so much is still in flux. Dotted by sounds easier said than done. What will you be doing?As we say in our community we are going to be taking to the streets, protesting, making our voices heard. There is plenty of support out there and that is part of the reason why I feel angry and frustrated because the administration chose to hear the very few voices rather than most of us. This program has the support of most Americans in this country. We are going to be louder this time. We are going to ask a representatives to take a stand. It is no longer time to not take action and stay quiet it is time for them to speak out on our behalf for those of us who can't speak out for those that are still in the shadows that could have benefited from DACA but never did precisely because of the day like this likely to come and it did. There is still plenty of work ahead of us. We are still fighting for this. This has been going on not just the last two days or months but going on for years now. The reason why DACA came about is because a lot of youth getting arrested and doing sittings and protesting until the Obama administration finally heard our voices. This time around we are going to make sure we are even louder.What about you? What about if Congress fails to act? and your DACA deferral runs out. What are you going to do?That is a very scary thought. I'm not going anywhere. I was here before DACA and I will be here after DACA. We have been contributing to the system for many years. I spent 15 years before DACA contributed to a system I will get any benefit from. Jeff Sessions at this morning we have been part of the Social Security system what he should've said was we have been contributing to the system without getting one single dollar from it. I worked 15 years before this, contributing to the system and I will continue to do so. I'm not going to go anywhere.One other thing Jeff Sessions said in announcing the phaseout this morning he said the program denied jobs to hundreds of thousands of Americans why allowing those same jobs to go to illegal aliens. As a DACA recipient what is your reaction to that statements. It's an accurate. Not true we are contribute he millions of dollars to the system some of us have opened businesses. I myself open my law practice. My boyfriend opened his mechanic shop and also has programs for U.S. citizens available. The fact that we are stealing jobs is part of the rhetoric that is not true.What you attended a news conference this morning of dreamers, quickly can you tell us what stays with you?The amount of support out there. There is a lot of groups, local immigration attorneys and organizations that are taking a stand at local government taking a stand and saying they are going to support us and with that support it brings the courage, gives me courage to step out and say yes I was not able to speak up before but now I am out of the shadows I am not going to turn back to that. I I feel a sense of empowerment from them.I've been speaking in San Diego immigration attorney and DACA recipient Dulce Garcia.Thank you for having me.