On the 9th anniversary of DACA, local recipient shares her story

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- On the 9th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the American Dream Promise Act, which passed the House this year.

This act would create a permanent status for thousands of people living with temporary status. While there is a lot of support coming from both parties, the act has yet to pass through the Senate.

Meanwhile, DACA recipients must still apply for renewal every two years to remain in the United States. According to government data, there were approximately 640,000 people covered by DACA as of March.

In Colorado, there are more than 14,000 DACA recipients.

Nayda Benitez is one of those recipients. She migrated to the U.S. From Puebla, Mexico at 7-years-old with her family for a better life-- she says it's been life-changing.

"There are employment opportunities open to me and it has been really great because unlike other people in the Colorado Springs area, I don't have to worry or live in fear of deportation," said Nayda.

But the program has faced ongoing legal challenges, bringing fear and confusion.

"It's been a rollercoaster for the DACA recipients…These children don't fall to their own, they were brought to this country for a chance at the American dream," said Ernesto Walsh, an immigration attorney in Colorado Springs.

Ernesto Walsh is an immigration attorney who serves the Southern Colorado and Denver areas.

"When DACA first hit, president Obama, promised them that they would not be prosecuted, information would not be used against them, but then a few years ago when President Trump came, that all changed. They were out of status for a while," said Walsh.

Walsh says he typically sees about ten DACA recipients a month at his firm , describing the past few years as tough.

"It's been a nightmare, some even returned to their home country and later regretted," added Walsh.

For Benitez, who is on the board of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, fighting for change has been her passion. She believes DACA has served its purpose, but now they want more rights.

"We've outgrown it and now what is really needed is permanent solutions, permanent protections for our community," said Benitez.

Earlier this year, the American Dream and Promise Act passed the House, which would create a path to permanent residency for hundreds of thousands of people living with temporary status.

For now, DACA recipients must wait and see what happens, with many of them having lived in the US for more than two decades.