KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As thousands are marching and protesting around the country, calling for a clean Dream Act, dozens in the KC metro did the same on Monday.
Supporters marched to Rep. Kevin Yoder’s Overland Park office with signs and chants. For some, Monday was the fourth time they’d been to his office.
Dreamers & supporters telling @RepKevinYoder they can't wait till March for a #DACA fix. They want change this year. @41actionnews pic.twitter.com/fFPKBhfisj
— Sarah Plake (@SarahPlakeTV) December 18, 2017
“Trying to explain how urgent and important it is for undocumented youth like me to be heard because we don’t have much time. Congress has to act soon,” Alex Martinez said.
DACA, the program that gives some protections to more than 700,000 immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as kids, could be a bargaining chip as Congress tries to pass a comprehensive spending bill by Friday.
This is one Dreamer's story. Her DACA protection will run out in less than a year. Her story continues in the next tweet... @41actionnews pic.twitter.com/vU6hS6MPQm
— Sarah Plake (@SarahPlakeTV) December 18, 2017
Here's the rest of Gabi's story @41actionnews pic.twitter.com/cYGCPDAVcU
— Sarah Plake (@SarahPlakeTV) December 18, 2017
Many lawmakers have said they doubt that’ll happen.
“Right now, it’s a perfect opportunity to attach a Dream Act to a spending bill,” Martinez said.
President Trump ended DACA in September but gave Congress a six-month window to save. That deadline is coming March 5, 2018.
The Dream Act is a more permanent fix to DACA, which would create a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who meet certain requirements. Previous Dream Act bills have failed time and time again in Congress.
DREAMERS rallying outside @RepKevinYoder OP office for the Dream Act to protect the 600,000+ ppl brought to US as kids. DACA was repealed in Sept & many losing work visas, status. pic.twitter.com/0FxIyVUbZz
— Sarah Plake (@SarahPlakeTV) December 18, 2017
DACA recipients had to be honest about their immigration status, and then meet requirements, to apply for a two-year permit card. The card protects them from deportation, while allowing them to legally get a driver’s license, a job, and enroll in college.
Gaby Carmona spoke passionately about her fear of deportation to a country she hasn't lived in since the age of five.
“I only have 334 days before my DACA expires, and then that means that I would lose, first of all, my jobs, because I have multiple jobs,” Carmona said.
Estimates said without a DACA solution by March, more than a thousand people a day would lose their DACA and be vulnerable to deportation.
Like Carmona, many DACA recipients’ permits will expire soon or have already.
“It makes me very emotional, obviously, because it affects me and my children,” Carmona said with teary eyes.
Raising their voices and rallying is the only action they can take while time counts down.
“I contribute so much to this country and I don’t think I should be displaced because of politics,” Martinez said.
