THE U.S. SUPREME COURT HEARD
ARGUMENTS ABOUT WHETHER THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS THE
RIGHT TO SHUT DOWN THE DACA
PROGRAM, WHICH STANDS FOR
DEFERRED ACTION FOR CHILDHOOD
ARRIVALS, A PROGRAM CREATED
THROUGH AN EXECUTIVE ORDER BY
PRESIDENT OBAMA THAT ALLOWS
IMMIGRANTS BROUGHT TO THE U.S.
AS CHILDREN TO GET WORK PERMITS
AND DEFERAL ON DEPORTATION.
JOINING US IS ALEJANDRA
GONZALEZ.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> MOST OBSERVES SEEM TO THINK
THE CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY ON THE
COURT AGREED WITH THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION.
WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO ON
ORAL ARGUMENTS?
>> IT WAS -- AS A DACA RECIPIENT
MYSELF, IT WAS CONCERNING, OF
COURSE, LISA LISTENING TO THE ORAL
ARGUMENTS, BUT I'M I'M HOPING IT'S
NOT A TRUE REFLECTION OF WHAT
THEIR POSITION WILL BE, THAT
WE'LL HAVE ONE SWING VOTE IN THE
MIDDLE THAT WILL KEEP THE
PROGRAM ALIVE.
>> DONALD TRUMP SAID IF THE
COURTS STRIKE DOWN DACA, HE'LL
WORK WITH DEMOCRATS TO FIND A
SOLUTION, BUT THIS WOULD BE NEXT
YEAR DURING AN ELECTION YEAR.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT WILL
ACTUALLY HAPPEN?
>> I DO NOT, NO.
AND I THINK IF IT DOES HAPPEN,
IT'S GOING TO BE A COMPROMISE
THAT MIGHT ENDANGER MY PARENTS
AND I'M NOT WILLING TO ACCEPT A
DEAL LIKE THAT.
>> AND HOW WOULD IT ENDANGER
YOUR PARENTS?
>> WELL, I THINK THE NARRATIVE
HAS BEEN DACA RECIPIENTS,
THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN,
THEY CAME TO THIS COUNTRY
BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS BROUGHT
THEM.
SO THAT KIND OF PUTS OUR PARENTS
AS THE CRIMINALS AND THAT'S
SIMPLY NOT TRUE.
THEY ACTED OUT OF DESPERATION.
I ALSO WOULDN'T WANT TO THROW
ANOTHER GROUP OF IMMIGRANTS
UNDER THE BUS JUST SO THAT I
COULD BENEFIT FROM IT.
>> DACA WAS ALSO SUPPOSED TO BE
A TEMPORARY PROGRAM WHILE
CONGRESS WORKED OUT A DEAL ON
IMMIGRATION, BUT THAT NEVER
HAPPENED.
WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE TO LIVE
UNDER ALL THIS UNCERTAINTY
THROUGH ALL THIS TIME?
>> IT'S BEEN REALLY STRESSFUL.
I ACTUALLY STARTED SCHOOL.
I GO TO ALVERNO COLLEGE.
I'M IN MY SENIOR YEAR.
SO I'LL BE GRADUATING THIS MAY.
AND IT'S VERY FRIGHTENING TO
THINK ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF
NOT BEING ABLE TO USE MY
EDUCATION AFTER DACA ENDS.
IT'S A MATTER OF LIKE TRYING TO
FIT ALL OF MY LIFE GOALS WITHIN
THIS TIME PERIOD SO THAT I CAN
ACHIEVE THEM.
BUT THEN EVEN IT PROBABLY
DOESN'T EVEN MATTER BECAUSE I
MIGHT LOSE WHAT I'VE WORKED FOR.
>> WELL, WHAT WILL YOU AND
OTHERS DO IF DACA PROGRAM ENDS?
>> I THINK -- I THINK DREAMERS
ARE A VERY RESILIENT GROUP.
I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE
TO ADVOCATE FOR OURSELVES AND
FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADD ROW ADVOCATE FOR
A PERMANENT SOLUTION.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LAST THIS
LONG.
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET THIS FAR.
I BELIEVE IN THEIR PASSION AND
IN THEIR BRAVERY TO CONTINUE
MOVING FORWARD WITH THEIR LIVES.
>> NOW, YOU TALKED ABOUT TRYING
TO FINISH UP SOME OF THE THINGS
IN YOUR LIFE.
ARE OTHER DACA RECIPIENTS YOU
KNOW DOING SIMILAR THINGS OR ARE
THEY ALREADY MAKING CON CONTINUE CONTINGENCY
PLANS?
>> AT THE END OF THE DAY WE'RE
ALL JUST HUMAN BEINGS TRYING TO
LIVE THE LIFE THAT OUR PARENTS
BROUGHT US TO LIVE.
THEY BROUGHT US HERE FOR A
REASON.
AND MOST OF THE DOCK DACA RECIPIENTS
ARE COLLEGE STUDENTS AND THEIR
PLAN IS STILL TO ATTEND COLLEGE.
THEY'RE WORKING TWICE AS HARD
BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL FEDERAL
AID TO PAY FOR THEIR EDUCATION,
LOOKING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS TO
SUPPORT THEIR EDUCATION SO IF
DACA FAILS THEY HAVE SOME KIND
OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
>> ONE CONCERN IS DACA REQUIRED
PEOPLE TO PROVIDE PERSONAL
INFORMATION TO THE GOVERNMENT.
DO YOU WORRY ABOUT THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION USING THAT INFO
TO PURSUE DEPORTATIONS?
>> FOR SURE.
THAT'S MY BIGGEST FEAR.
DACA RECIPIENTS ARE TAXPAYERS.
THERE'S JUST SOME IRONY THAT MY
TAX MONEY COULD BE GOING TOWARD
MY OWN DEPORTATION.
DACA RECIPIENTS ARE REQUIRED TO
UPDATE THEIR HOME ADDRESS WITH
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS SOON
AS THEY MOVE.
IT IS A BIG FEAR.
I LIVE IN A HOME WITH MY
BOYFRIEND'S CHILDREN.
I JUST DON'T WANT TO IMAGINE
WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF THERE ARE
MASS DEPORTATIONS AND THESE KIDS
HAVE TO WITNESS THAT.
THE IDEA THAT IT'S TRAUMATIZING
ENOUGH.
I COULDN'T IMAGINE THE ACTUAL
EXPERIENCE.
>> DO YOU BELIEVE THAT
ULTIMATELY THERE WILL BE A
POLITICAL SOLUTION TO THIS?
>> I'M HOPEFUL.
I AM HOPEFUL.
I THINK THAT THINGS ARE MOVING
THE RIGHT WAY.
I THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
SUPPORTIVE OF DREAMERS AND I'M
REALLY HOPING THAT THE SENATE
DECIDES TO BRING THE DREAM AND
PROMISE ACT TO THE SENATE FLOOR
AND VOTE ON IT THE RIGHT WAY AND
BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY.
>> AND IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN
THE NEXT YEAR, DO YOU THINK
GOING FORWARD, PERHAPS IN
ANOTHER ADMINISTRATION OR DOWN
THE ROAD, THERE COULD BE A FIX?
>> OH, FOR SURE.
YOU KNOW, JUST WITH VOCES DE LA
FRONTERA'S ACTION, WE'VE WORKED
THAT LATINO AND YOUTH VOTE
BECOMES PROMINENT IN THE
ELECTION.
I WORK MOSTLY WITH HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS.
SOME ARE 18 YEARS OLD.
THEY ARE MOTIVATED NOW MORE THAN
EVER TO VOTE AND TO SHOW UP AT
THE POLLING PLACES.
>> ALL RIGHT.
ALEJANDRA GONZALEZ.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
>> THANK YOU V