(WSVN) - The fate of more than a million young people brought to the U.S. illegally as children lies in the hands of Congress. They are all waiting for the people in Washington D.C. to decide their fate. 7’s Andrew Scheinthal has one young South Floridian’s story of hope and fear in “Living the Dream.”
Florida Atlantic University is home to more than 30,000 students working to achieve their dreams.
Catherine Aroca, FAU senior: “I want to be a professor at a university … I will be graduating in May, which is a huge privilege to be in this position.”
But Catherine’s future was put in jeopardy in September 2017, when the Trump administration announced plans to phase out the DACA program.
Catherine Aroca: “I was disappointed because there are amazing individuals here in this country — hard working, creative, innovative — who are also immigrants.”
DACA protects children, called Dreamers, who were brought to the U.S. when they were under the age of 16, as long as they are in school or the military and have no criminal record.
Catherine was born in Colombia.
At age 5, her mom brought her to the U.S.
She says for her mom, it was a decision between life and death.
Catherine Aroca: “Leaving her family, leaving her parents, leaving the place that she had known for many, many years so that she could provide something better for my brother and I.”
Catherine says while she was growing up, she never worried about being an illegal citizen.
But she couldn’t return to Colombia, not even for family funerals because she wouldn’t have been able to get back into the U.S.
Catherine Aroca: “I lost my grandparents and my dad back home. It just all seems like a dream.”
But she knew their dream for her was to succeed.
She graduated high school in 2012.
Two weeks later, President Obama introduced the DACA program, and Catherine enrolled at FAU.
Catherine Aroca: “Just to be able to provide for myself and my family — that’s what DACA means for me.”
Around campus, Catherine has become an inspiration.
Flavia Patino Paul, FAU senior/friend: “She takes all of this stress, and she turns it into something good.”
FAU would not comment on camera, but in an online statement, FAU President John Kelly said, “On behalf of the entire FAU family, I am proud to support DACA.”
Catherine hopes Congress will agree on a plan to let her and the estimated 1.8 million other young undocumented immigrants stay in this country.
Catherine Aroca: “We’re the Dreamers because we have dreams and we want to accomplish them.”
Temporary protection for the Dreamers ends on March 5.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.