Today, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a historic case that tests the legality of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. The program was created in 2012 by former President Barack Obama. It offers temporary protection without a pathway to citizenship for people brought to the country illegally as children. President Trump tried to rescind DACA, but lower courts blocked him. Now, the Supreme Court will decide on the program’s future. At stake is the fate of some 700,000 young immigrants, often called Dreamers. More than 6,000 of them live in Michigan.
Javier Contreras is a DACA recipient. He talked about how his immigration status has affected his employment situation since graduating from the University of Michigan, what kinds of conversation he’s had with other Dreamers, and what the outcome of this ruling will mean for his future.
