Kentucky family impacted by DACA removal

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Last week, President Donald Trump’s administration announced they will end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

DACA was started by former President Barack Obama in 2012.

It protects immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children, or whose families overstayed visas.

The removal of the program will make those who have DACA vulnerable to deportation.

In the hours after the Trump Administration’s announcement, rallies and protests against the plan popped up across the country, including one in Lexington.

Now, Lorena Romero of Lexington is speaking out.

She says though she was born in the states and is a citizen, some members of her family are not. Those members are in the U.S. under DACA status.

Romero says she wants people to understand those members of her family work for everything they have and says they do not deserve to have it all taken away. She says that is what will happen if DACA ends and her family members are deported.

“If it gets taken away, I know the people in my family… they’re going to lose a lot of hope and a lot of what they’ve earned,” said Romero. “They’re the smartest people I’ve known, most hard-working people I’ve met and they’ve made such great names for themselves. It’s just going to be devastating.”

Those, including Romero’s family, who are already enrolled in DACA are still covered until their permits expire.

If they expire before March 5, 2018, they can be renewed for another two years.

The program is not accepting new applications.