10 years after DACA was created, advocates continue to push for immigration reform
NEW YORK - DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, is 10 years old.
It provides relief from deportation for undocumented people brought to America as children.
As CBS2's Dave Carlin reports, former President Barack Obama met with some "Dreamers" to mark the anniversary.
Amalia Oliva Rojas and Tony Valdovinos are among the thousands of immigrant children brought to the United States when they were very young who were enrolled in DACA.
"Grew up in Queens, New York. And prior to that, you would never know I was actually born in Mexico/ I was born there and I came about two months old And I had no idea until I was 18 years old," Rojas said.
DACA is something that she had to keep reapplying for, and she says that was stressful.
"Went through it probably three or four times," she said. "I was at a point of self-deportation, at a point of basically saying I don't want to do this."
She explains what happened next.
"I married my high school sweetheart," she said. "In that way, I was able to have the opportunity to adjust my status... I'm in a privileged space right now to be more outspoken."
Valdovinos grew up in Arizona. That Mexico was the place of his birth was kept secret from him until he was 17. His struggles as a dreamer are the basis for the musical "Americano!" playing at New World stages.
Late last month, Obama visited with him and others in the DACA program on the musical's stage in Hell's Kitchen.
"Thank you and the hundreds of thousands you represent," Obama said.
"I had met him before in 2012, so it was an honor to have a full circle moment," Valdovinos said.
Denied a chance to serve in the military, which had been his dream, Valdovinos became a political consultant, helping candidates get elected with his company La Machine.
"It's been such a rough ride to have so much uncertainty," Valdovinos said.
He says the road ahead must include a more permanent path to citizenship.
"There is a need for immigration reform so that we can move on with our lives," he said.
"The more voices like yours out there the better chance we have," Obama told them
Rojas and Valdovinos vow to use their voices to keep advocating for those who cannot.
