More than 700,000 undocumented immigrants across the U.S., including thousands in Houston, are reportedly growing more concerned by the threat of deportation in the coming months.
Videos by Rare
These fears for many come with the White House administration’s cancelation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), which is set to expire in March of next year.
The deadline for renewal passed just days after Hurricane Harvey struck Houston.
DACA first came into existence under the Obama Administration as, supporters describe, a means to provide a legal way for children who arrived in the U.S. with their undocumented parents to stay in the country.
The deadline, combined with the $495 application fee, left thousands of undocumented immigrants in Houston fearing deportation from the only country they ever called home.
RELATED: America wins by fighting for Dreamers, but we can’t stop there
Oscar Hernandez, for example, is a Houston resident, a community organizer and a DACA recipient, who works with the Houston chapter of United We Dream, a group serving to help undocumented immigrants.
He explained his affiliated organization started fundraising efforts for undocumented families affected by Hurricane Harvey, as, under law, they are ineligible to receive federal aid:
“Here in Houston, we had a lot of folks who lost everything during the hurricane,” Hernandez said in an interview with HuffPost earlier this month. “What does it mean to have to replace everything in your house, while also trying to get the [money] needed to file the [DACA renewal] application? So, it’s been extremely challenging for undocumented youth across the country, but especially here in Houston.”
RELATED: Upcoming DACA Deadline Leaves Many Uncertain About Their Future
Relatedly, at least one family of a DACA recipient lost much more than money or property during the storm:
Alonso Guillén, a DACA recipient from Lufkin, Texas, came to the U.S. at age 15 with his parents – both reportedly undocumented immigrants.
Guillén reportedly made a trip to Houston after Harvey to help with rescue efforts; however, he reportedly lost his life when his boat struck a bridge over Interstate 45 during a nighttime rescue mission.
This is a developing situation.
[anvplayer video=”4163911″]