Who they are: Six DACA recipients rejoice over court ruling

Who they are: Six DACA recipients rejoice over court ruling

SeattlePI.com

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PHOENIX (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court has kept alive, for now, the Obama-era program that allows immigrants brought here as children to work and protects them from deportation. The high court on Thursday ruled that the Trump administration attempted to end the program improperly when it announced it was rescinding it in 2017. Since then, only people who were already enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program have been able to stay on board, and no new applicants have been accepted. About 650,000 people have DACA protections. Here are six from around the country.

Joella Roberts

Age: 22

Lives: Washington, D.C.

Country of origin: Trinidad and Tobago

Joella Roberts was 4 when she came to the U.S. with her mom and brother in 2001. Her grandmother, who was already living in the states, petitioned to bring them as well, but their applications were delayed and they made the trip anyway. Eventually, Roberts was in the country without permission. She and her family were debating whether she should go back to Trinidad and Tobago and start fresh. An attorney told her about DACA around 2015, and she’s had the protection since. “I have like an artificial citizenship,” Roberts said. Having DACA allowed her to help her family, as she is the sole provider. She was able to finance a car and have credit.

Like many other DACA recipients, she is politically savvy and determined to use her skills to advocate for others like her. Roberts just graduated from college and is working as a university program coordinator for FWD.us, a bipartisan group that advocates for criminal justice and immigration reform.

Roberts said she couldn’t fall asleep until 4 a.m. Thursday because of anxiety about the pending high court ruling. She jumped out of bed when she heard the...

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