When I got into Stony Brook, I finally felt that I had something tangible to show my parents that justified their hard work and sacrifices. Now I’m a senior preparing to graduate in the fall, and I want nothing more than to have them at my graduation ceremony.

I’m a United States citizen, as are my sisters. I first realized that my immigrant parents, who are not citizens, could be under attack during President Trump’s candidacy. Before that, I’d taken for granted that my parents would remain protected. After all, their family is here. Their jobs are here. Their friends are here.

But then I saw Mr. Trump using the campaign to scapegoat all kinds of immigrants and refugees, and I realized that they might come after us, too. After the first presidential debate, my mom asked me if it was true that Mr. Trump could really take away T.P.S., and I didn’t know how to respond. I was paralyzed by the prospect of telling them that we could lose this protection, and that our lives could be thrown into disarray and that we may be split apart.

Now with T.P.S. ending, our family has to think seriously about what will happen if my parents are sent back to El Salvador. My No. 1 concern is my parents’ survival. We know how difficult the situation is in El Salvador, considered among the most violent countries in the world. We have family members who have been threatened, and that fear kept my parents from trying to visit their native land for years. What’s more, my parents may be too old to find decent jobs there.

I fear for my younger sisters. At 18 and 20, they still need my parents. After the news this week, one of my sisters offered to take a semester off to work and raise money for our family, knowing that we may need savings to get through this difficult time, especially if my parents are forced to relocate. My mother responded with the same poise and determination she’s shown since arriving in this country. “No, mi hija, you have to keep studying. It’s your future that matters most,” she said. When I was growing up they showed me what it means to be part of a family, part of a community. My sisters need that, too.