For young illegal immigrants, change is shocking
(CBS News) LOS ANGELES - Leslye Osegueda, 21, was born in Mexico but has lived in the United States since she was five.
"I definitely consider myself an American," Osegueda says. "I love the U.S. Every time I hear the national anthem I get chills."
However, Oseqeuda and her family are illegal immigrants. Her father was deported three years ago.
"I can't drive since I can't legally get a driver's license, and I can't legally work since I don't have a work permit, or a social security number that I can also work legally," Osegueda says.
Friday's decision by the Obama administration allows her to get a work permit and continue her education. She celebrated with other students in downtown Los Angeles, but they want the president to do more.
"We're going to continue pushing for him to have comprehensive immigration reform, not just for us the undocumented students, but for our parents too," Osegueda says.
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Her mom was with her at the celebration. Osegeuda graduated from UCLA the same day as Obama's announcement.
"This is kind of amazing that this is all happening on the same day," Osequeda says. "I'm speechless. I just...I get teary thinking about it cause I didn't think it was going to happen today. I didn't think it was going to happen anytime soon and it happened today, the day I'm graduating from UCLA. It shocked me so much, I couldn't ask for a better graduation gift!"
She no longer fears being deported and can now put her new bachelors degree to work at a job in the U.S.
"There's always a door that's gonna open. We just saw it open right now. We saw it open today," Osegueda says.
Osegueda majored in political science and plans to go to law school. She called her dad in Mexico today to share the good news: She made it through UCLA in just three years.
