Southern Oregonian affected by DACA termination

Tuesday President Trump’s administration announced plans to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

DACA protects undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.

“This does not mean they are bad people, or that our nation disrespects or demeans them in anyway. It means we are properly enforcing our laws as congress has passed them,” U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said.

In a statement President Trump said “I do not favor punishing children… for the actions of their parents. But we are a nation of opportunity because we are a nation of laws,” President Trump said.

The president’s given congress six months to develop a new policy regarding dreamers.

NBC5 News spoke with a dreamer from the Rogue Valley.

“I arrived to the United States when I was three years old,” Diana Banda Palacios said.

Diana Banda Palacios was born in Mexico, but raised in Southern Oregon.

She’s called a ‘Dreamer’ – known as an undocumented immigrant who entered the United States with her parents.

“I lived in fear growing up. At a very young age, I was fearing law enforcement and I had no idea why, I just knew that I had to stay away that I had to be careful and I had curfews that I did not understand,” Diana said.

Diana says she’s lived a life full of financial and social obstacles, but the DACA program has allowed some of her dreams to become reality.

“I was able to actually go to Mexico for the first time after 24 years and finally see family and reunite with many that I had never met before,” Diana said.

Kathy Keesee works for an organization that advocates for local farm workers and immigrants in the Rogue Valley.

She says there are 11,000 DACA residents in Oregon.

Many she believes are homeowners and families who are paying taxes and contributing to society.

“I think it’s unfortunate that as a nation, we’re turning our backs on these individuals who will in the future contribute a lot and are currently contributing a lot to our communities,” Keesee said.

Keesee says she thinks losing DACA will influence Southern Oregon’s economy.

Both she and Diana would like to see legislation that will allow DACA workers and their families to stay.

“Hopefully something will be passed and it will open the door for something rather than just a band aid,” Diana said.

Diana says the DACA program doesn’t offer United States citizenship, but it does offer a work permit to those who have a clean record.

She says she just renewed her DACA eligibility and will have it until it expires.

With it, she’s been able to pursue an EMT career with fire science education.

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