Santa Clara County Leaders Reinforce Support For DACA Program
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- Immigrants and their advocates gathered in San Jose Tuesday to celebrate and defend the federal Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals program on the fifth anniversary of its enactment.
Santa Clara County officials held a news conference before the county's Board of Supervisors meeting this morning to express their support of the program, which allows for renewable work permits for certain undocumented immigrant youth and young adults for two-year periods, during which time they have a reprieve from being deported.
The program is still law, but advocates fear that it could be on the chopping block under the administration of President Donald Trump, who has been facing pressure from right-wing groups and politicians to phase it out by not renewing or issuing new DACA permits.
Board president Dave Cortese urged Trump's administration to "put politics aside and stand up for what the majority of Americans believe is right."
County officials estimate that about 23,000 Santa Clara County residents qualify for the program.
"These individuals ... they aren't criminals, they're dreamers," County Executive Jeff Smith said. "They're here to make our country better and to make their lives better. Just like all of our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents before them."
The county has its own immigrant success story in Deputy County Executive David Campos. He came to the U.S. as a child immigrant and graduated from Stanford University, then Harvard Law School.
Campos was elected to two terms on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors before being termed out and taking the position in Santa Clara County earlier this year.
Campos said what Santa Clara County has done is made it clear that they believe in the young people protected by the program. He recognized the undocumented DACA recipients who were in attendance at the news conference for coming forward in an open setting.
"It takes courage in Donald Trump's America in 2017 to come forward and say 'I am proud to be a DACA recipient and I am not going anywhere,'" he said.
One of those DACA recipients is Jahir Salinas De Arcos, who came to the U.S. as a 4-year-old in 1999. He grew up in Los Angeles and Compton before attending University of California at Santa Cruz. De Arcos recently graduated with a double major in anthropology and legal studies.
"It's difficult to not feel like our time is limited, like time is running out for us," De Arcos said. "And that's what a lot of us are feeling right now, and we're not necessarily coming out and saying it too, because there's that fear of deportation."
He admits the fear lingers among undocumented immigrants that going to a clinic or hospital might expose them to immigration agents or individuals who would report them.
De Arcos admits he's still living a challenging life today, even after graduation.
"It's been a struggle. It's been tough, but I do my best to try and look out for resources and try to continue forward because there's no other option at this point," he said.
After the news conference, the Board of Supervisors at its meeting approved a resolution supporting DACA.
In San Francisco, immigrant rights advocates also held a rally near the Montgomery BART station Tuesday afternoon in support of the program.
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