Seven years after nine attempts to cross the border from Mexico and18- year- old Luis Ayala of Medford is dreaming big, he’s going to college with a 4.0 GPA.
“Right as we were about to give up we made it,” says Ayala.
Thanks to a policy passed in 2012 by President Obama, Ayala can stay in the united states without fear of deportation.
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” or DACA is an attempt to answer a growing issue,immigrants who enter the country as children.
“Icame here to succeed and work hard I don’t believe I came here to be a bother to the country.”
Ayala is one of 900-thousand so-called “dreamers” in the United States.
After the proposed development relief and education for minors act. they don’t have legal standing– but came with their parents when they were young,shaped by U.S. culture.
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
DACA took affect a year ago in Oregon. Students must have arrived in the U.S. before turning 16 and have to be under 30,they have to be in school,and can’t be convicted of certain crimes.
Ayala thanks his teachers and Martin Luther King’s dream put in words 50 years ago Wednesday– for being able to live his.
“I’m just so thankful to be able to live my dream.”
Data from Homeland Security shows the majority of Oregon applicants have been accepted to the program– and most are Mexican.
Critics question DACA’s legitimacy and whether the administration has the right to supercede existing immigration law.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.