PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Arlette Morales of York is currently a freshman at York College and says she hopes President Biden can keep his promise of working to help Dreamers.
"I want the Biden Administration to remember who got them into office and to not forget about us because he promised us in his first 100 days in office that he would act and it's been overdue," Morales said. "Those 100 days have passed and we're still here."
The Biden administration announced efforts on Sept. 27 to help current and eligible immigrants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA. The 205-page proposal addresses U.S. District Judge Hanen's concerns by giving the public 60 days to comment.
Judge Hanen ruled back in July the policy was unlawful due to the Obama Administration failing to seek public feedback and new applicants were ineligible to apply.
Immigration advocates spoke with FOX43 and they say this is the right step for these immigrants commonly known as "Dreamers."
"They didn't know they committed a violation of the immigration law," Phoung Troung, executive director for the International Service Center said. "They have no idea what the law is all about. They grew up in this land, they went to school."
Morales came to the United States at the age of two and realized her immigration status made difficulties for her.
"I wasn't able to apply for FAFSA," she said. "As I was growing up I wasn't able to do some of the most regular types of things that average teenagers do in the United States like getting a driver's license, being able to work, getting that work permit."
She adds there is always fear as well.
"I'm constantly watching my back that a police officer isn't looking at me or comes to question my identity and who I am," Morales said. "Or, ask me to show them an ID but I don't have an ID."
Now that Morales is a college student, she is enlisted in her institution differently although she has been in the U.S. for most of her life.
"Because I'm an undocumented person, I would be counted as an international student when I was applying for colleges. They are charging me three times more than an average citizen would have to pay," she said.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas called again on Monday for Congress to act swiftly to provide “the legal status they need and deserve.”
Morales says she is continuing her education and future for the betterment of her parents and little brother.
"I'm not scared to say I'm undocumented," she said. "If anything it empowers me to say that I'm undocumented, and I'm here and I'm doing everything I'm doing regardless of my status here in the United States."