LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The legal status of about 700,000 young people is on the line as The Supreme Court discusses the legality of DACA.
Nevada has just over 12,000 dreamers, some of whom go to school at UNLV. Their classmates at UNLV plan to stand up for the program that allows their fellow students to call Nevada home.
"Undocunetwork" is a club at UNLV that focuses on helping immigrant students and the undocumented community. They plan to gather at noon on Tuesday until 2 p.m. in what's called the "free speech area" on campus to show their support for the DACA program.
One of those DACA recipients is Diego Rodriguez, who is studying mechanical engineering at UNLV. When we last checked in with him, he was in the process of renewing his DACA status. He's one of thousands of dreamers that feel anxious about the federal court battle.
"It makes me feel kind of like sad on how there is uncertainty, because I feel most people in this program, they just want to better themselves and have a better life," Rodriguez said.
The DACA program was put in place in 2012 by the Obama administration. It protects immigrants from deportation if they were brought into the United States illegally as a child.
President Trump tried to rescind DACA seven months after taking office only to have the lower courts block his action. The Trump Administration is now challenging that ruling, claiming the program interferes with federal law.
Early Tuesday morning President Trump tweeted that some DACA recipients are hardened criminals" and hinted that he'd be up for a deal with democrats if the Supreme Court rules in his favor.
Many of the people in DACA, no longer very young, are far from “angels.” Some are very tough, hardened criminals. President Obama said he had no legal right to sign order, but would anyway. If Supreme Court remedies with overturn, a deal will be made with Dems for them to stay!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 12, 2019
