Life Without DACA

Tommy Esquivel graduated in June from Hollywood High School in Southern California with awards honoring his determination, his record of service, and the highest average grade in his Advanced Placement environmental science class.

“I am excited to see what you will do with your future,” his science teacher, Alycia Escobedo, wrote in a farewell note. “Do big things.”

But Esquivel, 19, who grew up in Los Angeles without legal immigration status, faces serious obstacles. He has limited access to financial aid for college. In many states, he can’t get a driver’s license. Without a Social Security number, he can’t legally work. And though he has lived in the United States since the age of 9, he could at any time face deportation to Guatemala.

A majority of the undocumented immigrants graduating from high schools across the U.S. now have none of the protections offered over the past 10 years under a program that shielded most of the so-called Dreamers from deportation and made it legal for them to work and apply for college financial aid.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, commonly known as DACA, was intended as a stopgap measure to protect some of the nation’s most vulnerable immigrants—young people who were brought illegally to the U.S. as children, usually by their parents, and have grown up essentially as Americans—until Congress could agree on a comprehensive immigration overhaul or pass a bill to offer them a path to citizenship.

Since DACA took effect in 2012, some 800,000 young people have registered. But a long-term political solution never materialized. There’s been some bipartisan support for the push to provide a legal path to citizenship for DACA recipients—young people who made no decision of their own to break the law. Although they’ve been viewed as a special case by some lawmakers in both parties, coming up with a fix has remained controversial.

In the meantime, DACA, which President Barack Obama created by executive order, has stopped accepting new applications. It’s been mired in legal battles since President Donald Trump sought to end the program in 2017.

Tommy Esquivel graduated in June from Hollywood High School in Southern California. At graduation, he received awards for his dedication and service record. He also had the highest average grade in his Advanced Placement environmental science class.

“I am excited to see what you will do with your future,” his science teacher, Alycia Escobedo, wrote in a goodbye note. “Do big things.”

But Esquivel, 19, faces serious obstacles. He grew up in Los Angeles without legal immigration status. As a result, he has limited access to financial aid for college. In many states, he can’t get a driver’s license. Without a Social Security number, he can’t legally work. And though he has lived in the United States since the age of 9, he could face deportation to Guatemala at any time.

Across the U.S., there are many undocumented immigrants graduating from high school. Over the past 10 years, a program has shielded most of them from deportation. It also has made it legal for them to work and apply for college financial aid. Now, a majority of the so-called Dreamers have none of these protections.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is commonly known as DACA. It has protected some of the nation’s most vulnerable immigrants: young people who were brought illegally to the U.S. as children, usually by their parents. They have grown up as Americans in many ways. The program was meant to be in place until Congress could agree on immigration reforms or pass a bill to offer them a path to citizenship.

DACA took effect in 2012. Since then, some 800,000 young people have registered. But a long-term political solution never came to pass. There’s been some bipartisan support for the push to provide a legal path to citizenship for DACA recipients. That support hinges on the idea that these young people made no decision of their own to break the law. That’s why they’ve been viewed as a special case by some lawmakers in both parties. Still, coming up with a fix has remained out of reach.

President Barack Obama created DACA by executive order. But President Donald Trump tried to end the program in 2017. Since then, DACA has been tangled up in legal battles. In the meantime, it’s stopped accepting new applications.

Esquivel is one of some 100,000 young immigrants who will now enter adulthood each year without the protections that DACA provided in the past.

“After doing all this work, I don’t know where it’s going to lead me,” says Esquivel, who joined his parents in the U.S. from Guatemala when he was in third grade. “I don’t know what I can do.”

For those who qualified, DACA has enabled them to work legally—and by extension afford college, build careers, and buy homes. The idea among supporters was that Congress eventually would address the immigration status of the estimated 11 million people who live in the U.S. illegally, rendering the temporary program unnecessary.

Today, 60 percent of those protected by DACA are 26 or older. While immigrants from Mexico make up the bulk of current DACA enrollees, Asian immigrants now represent the fastest-growing segment of students living in the U.S. illegally.

Esquivel is one of some 100,000 young immigrants who will now enter adulthood each year without the protections that DACA provided in the past.

“After doing all this work, I don’t know where it’s going to lead me,” says Esquivel, who joined his parents in the U.S. from Guatemala when he was in third grade. “I don’t know what I can do.”

For those who qualified, DACA has enabled them to work legally. In turn, they’ve been able to afford college, build careers, and buy homes. The idea among supporters was that Congress eventually would address the immigration status of the estimated 11 million people who live in the U.S. illegally. Doing so would make the temporary program unnecessary.

Today, 60 percent of those protected by DACA are 26 or older. Immigrants from Mexico make up the bulk of current DACA enrollees, but things are changing. Now, Asian immigrants make up the fastest-growing segment of students living in the U.S. illegally.

Most Democrats support providing legal status for DACA recipients and young people like Esquivel. Many Republicans oppose it—often calling it “amnesty”—because they believe it amounts to a reward for disobeying American laws.

“Any reforms to our immigration system cannot include migrants illegally in the United States cutting the line for citizenship or any special pathways for citizenship,” Congressman Carlos Gimenez, Republican of Florida, recently told the Washington Examiner.

The debate over DACA comes amid a “massive shortage” of labor that has developed partly because of the country’s aging population and low birthrate, says Neil Bradley, chief policy officer for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, who argues that businesses desperately need young workers.

“Congress has had a decade to solve this issue,” he says, “and it defies reason that they have not found a way forward.”

Most Democrats support offering legal status for DACA recipients and young people like Esquivel. Many Republicans oppose the tactic, often calling it “amnesty.” They believe it amounts to a reward for disobeying American laws.

“Any reforms to our immigration system cannot include migrants illegally in the United States cutting the line for citizenship or any special pathways for citizenship,” Congressman Carlos Gimenez, Republican of Florida, recently told the Washington Examiner.

The debate over DACA comes amid a “massive shortage” of labor. The shortfall is partly a result of the country’s aging population and low birthrate, says Neil Bradley, chief policy officer for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He argues that businesses really need young workers.

“Congress has had a decade to solve this issue,” he says, “and it defies reason that they have not found a way forward.”

Esquivel grew up in Los Angeles speaking more English than Spanish. At Hollywood High, he excelled academically, played on the baseball team, joined campus clubs, and gave school tours.

In April, Esquivel was accepted to San Francisco State University. He celebrated with his family and teachers. But then he took a hard look at his situation. Most of his tuition would be covered by a state grant for which undocumented students qualify. But how was he going to afford $17,000 in room and board with no ability to work?

He decided to enroll at Santa Monica College, a community college near Los Angeles, so he could live at home.

On his last day of school in June, Esquivel thanked each of his teachers, his eyes moistening as they described him as a gift to the school community. His friend group planned a road trip to San Diego, but Esquivel decided that he better not go, lest they get stopped at a Border Patrol checkpoint.

“I feel that I am not an actual person in this country, like I can’t be a part of this country’s experience,” Esquivel says. “I feel like I could do more, but there’s limitations.”

Esquivel grew up in Los Angeles speaking more English than Spanish. At Hollywood High, he got good grades. He played on the baseball team, joined campus clubs, and gave school tours.

In April, Esquivel was accepted to San Francisco State University. He celebrated with his family and teachers. But then he took a hard look at his situation. Most of his tuition would be covered by a state grant for which undocumented students qualify. But how was he going to afford $17,000 in room and board with no ability to work?

He decided to enroll at Santa Monica College, a community college near Los Angeles. That way he could live at home.

On his last day of school in June, Esquivel thanked each of his teachers. He became teary-eyed as they described him as a gift to the school community. His friend group planned a road trip to San Diego, but Esquivel decided not to go. He was afraid of what could happen if they got stopped at a Border Patrol checkpoint.

“I feel that I am not an actual person in this country, like I can’t be a part of this country’s experience,” Esquivel says. “I feel like I could do more, but there’s limitations.”