How DACA helped me pay for college and pay off my student loans

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In 2012 my phone was ringing constantly. Friends, family, and mentors were calling me to let me know about the new executive order President Obama had signed.

DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) was the saving grace for me at this time.

I found myself in my second year of college, nearly $12,000 in student loans, without a job and without a driver’s license.

I ran out of help

State financial aid and my scholarships had run out. I felt a little scared and confused as to what to do. My family, except for my brother, all went back to Mexico, so I didn’t really have anyone to turn to other than some close college friends.

I was still living on Campus and fortunately had enough paid-for meal plans to sustain me until I found a solution to my problem.

I was fortunate enough to live close to Austin, The University of Texas set up a workshop to help DREAMers and future DACAmented students fill out the paperwork and assist with any legal and financial questions.

I called my mom in Mexico and asked her to send me all and any document she had that belonged to me. I went to a community organization to translate my birth certificate and to organize all the paperwork so that my chances of getting DACA were higher.

I could legally work

Then the news arrived. I could begin applying for a temporary work permit, get a social security and hopefully a driver’s license so I could go find a job.

Many take their jobs for granted, even if they hate it. For me, having the ability to work meant opportunity. I was always jealous of college friends whose parents could pay their tuition and living expenses and they didn’t have to work.

I don’t judge them, but I was definitely a little jealous. Looking back, I’m grateful for having a job while going to school. It taught me time-management, budgeting and how to have a strong work ethic.

Then it finally came!

After checking the USCIS website constantly, my employment authorization card finally came. I had never felt more hopeful in my life. Here’s the thing about many immigrants, we live in constant fear whether we show it or not.

Everything we do is a critical decision because one wrong step and you can find yourself in a detention center. I know this because I never wanted to end up like some of my family members.

DACA meant life and freedom for me. All I ever wanted was to be given the chance to prove myself, to not be handed anything, but to work (literally work) to earn my keeps.

[bctt tweet=”DACA meant life and freedom for me. All I ever wanted was to be given the chance to prove myself, to not be handed anything, but to work (literally work) to earn my keeps.” username=”dreamer_money”]

Critics and opinionists constantly want to tell immigrants to “get in line” but there was never a line for us DREAMers. The government had to create a line for us to hop on in the first place.

I did everything I was asked to do, I submitted everything I needed to submit, I visited whatever facility I needed to visit. And finally, for the first time in my life, I felt more accepted by the country that I had for so long called home.

I got a driver’s license

A driver’s license was huge! It meant I could be identified and it legitimizes me as a person. On top of that, I could drive to different places without fearing interaction with the cops.

I was so excited about having DACA I went ahead and got two jobs, I simply wanted to get ahead, to keep paying my way through school and to stop taking out student loans.

DACA helped me while applying for citizenship

Two years later I went to renew my DACA and in 2015 I married my wife. While waiting for adjusted status, DACA kept me in business and allowed me to keep paying off my student loans.

Trought this time my wife and I learned how to handle our money and 22 months later we paid off over $34,000 in debt.

Having DACA gave me the chance to not only live outside of the shadows, but it actually taught me to thrive and to not take anything for granted.

As I read the news, I can only hope that many more DREAMers can have the chance to receive the same opportunities I had and to feel the same sense of hope I experienced.

How did DACA help you?