daca

Connecticut DACA Members Celebrate SCOTUS Decision

The Supreme Court decision is a blow to President Donald Trump's efforts to eliminate protections for immigrants.

NBC Universal, Inc.

Anthony Barroso is among the people applauding Thursday’s Supreme Court Decision to reject the Trump Administration’s efforts to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival’s (DACA) program.

“I was at a loss for words. I felt relieved,” said Barroso, reacting to the 5-4 decision.

Since 2012, DACA, has protected over 800,000 and currently protects 650,000 people who came to the United States as children without documentation. Barroso is one of them.

Barroso moved to New Haven from Ecuador in 2001, as an 8-year-old child. He’s now a 27-year-old college student, who was recently accepted into a radiation oncology program - a program he considered not entering until Thursday’s decision.

“I wasn’t sure if I was gonna be able to keep going forward because if I lose my work permit, I won’t be able to work after the program’s over so I was reconsidering,” he said.

President Donald Trump started action to remove DACA in 2017.

“Since then, me and all other undocumented DACA youth have been living in limbo just waiting for the Supreme Court to decide,” said Camila Bortolleto, co-director of CT Students For A Dream.

While Democrat leaders, including Gov.Ned Lamont and senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy released statements praising the decision, President Donald Trump disagreed, firing back on Twitter to say quote:

“These horrible & politically charged decisions coming out of the Supreme Court are shotgun blasts into the face of people that are proud to call themselves Republicans or Conservatives. We need more Justices or we will lose our 2nd Amendment & everything else. Vote Trump 2020.”

While DACA members who spoke to NBC Connecticut Thursday are excited, they say this does not provide complete closure. DACA members know the fight could continue.

“It’s a good decision for now,” said Bortolleto.  “It lifts some of the stresses but it’s not ending because DACA could still be ended again.”

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