Sacramento DACA Recipients Pleased With SCOTUS Ruling; Hope For Permanent Solution
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - For five years, Esmeralda Sandoval spent her time at Sierra College and at work wondering if she could be deported.
"They don't know what we are dealing with having to wake up with this fear," Sandoval, a DACA recipient, said.
Sandoval's own daughter questioned what would happen to her if DACA was terminated.
"My daughter waking up to this situation and asking me,' What is it? What is it? Are they going to take you?' And me having to explain nothing is going to happen," Sandoval said. "But inside of me knowing something like this can happen and my daughter one day can wake up and not have me."
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled to block the Trump administration's push to end the program, partially erasing that big question mark from hundreds of thousands of minds.
Jesus Limon Guzman, another DACA recipient, said he first heard of the push to end the program shortly after he got engaged and started a tenure track as an English professor at Sacramento City College.
"We decided to start a family. But a lot of times, in making those decisions, I was like is this the right thing to do because we could be separated tomorrow," Limon Guzman said.
But the high court's ruling has now lifted part of that anxiety, allowing Limon Guzman to better focus on his passion for education and his family.
"Immediately, it was relief for myself. I have a four-month-old baby. I was okay we're not going to be separated," Limon Guzman said. "That was the biggest fear that I had that if we petition for my residency through our marriage, I might be separated for three to ten years."
He and others said they're proud they didn't allow fear to stop them from fulfilling their dreams.
"I've always felt like no matter what happens I'm going to be here to support others," Limon Guzman said.
Eva Jimenez is a graduate of UC Davis and is also a DACA Recipient.
"I work for CHIRLA advocating for immigrant rights and I'll continue to do so," Jimenez said.
While there's still the possibility for an executive order from President Trump ending DACA, many admit the celebration today still brings worries about tomorrow.
"There's always that fear until there's a federal policy that creates a pathway to citizenship, right?" Limon Guzman said.