The Trump Administration's decision to end a program that protects thousands of young undocumented immigrants from deportation is causing concern among students in Chicago.
Paula is a sophomore at Loyola University studying secondary education and history.
She’s also undocumented, which is why we’re not using her last name.
Paula arrived with her parents from the Philippines at the age of 5 in 2001.
Despite President Trump’s plan to end the DACA program in the next six months, Paula say she plans to continue pursuing her education.
“Nothing is going to stop me from wanting to do the things I want to do and becoming the teacher I want to be but it’s just going to be more difficult now,” she said.
A replacement is needed since President Trump announced the DACA program will end.
That could mean an estimated 800,000 DACA recipients could be subject to deportation to countries they left with their parents when they were young children.
That also includes 20-year-old student Carolina Saldana, who has been able to attend Morton College in west suburban Cicero because of the DACA program.
“There’s a lot of people that don’t want us here but there’s more people that do and that know the value in us. We’re hoping and praying that they will take action,” Saldana said.
Meanwhile, the attorneys general in California and New York say they plan to take legal action against the Trump administration for its decision to end the DACA program.
Trump has given Congress the next six months to come up with a replacement program.