Baltimore 'Dreamer' Immigrants Await President's Decision On DACA Program

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- In less than 24-hours, President Trump will decide on immigration policy, affecting 800,000 children of undocumented immigrants.

He could end the DACA program, which grants work permits to those known as "dreamers." More than 10,000 Marylanders rely on work permits granted by the DACA program.

Some will head to the White House at Tuesday, to rally ahead of President Trump's decision.

"We love the dreamers. We love everybody," says President Trump.

A shadowed response from President Trump, as the hours tick down to his promised decision on DACA.

He is expected to announce what will become of the program that grants work permits for 800,000 Dreamers, children of undocumented immigrants, protected by the Obama administration.

"We're all humans, and at the end of the day, all we want to do is give back to our communities, give back to our families, and keep living our lives peacefully in this great country that's given us the opportunity to stay here," says Jesus Perez.

He was brought to the U.S. illegally when he was a child. Home for him, is now Baltimore.

"There's a lot of emotions because you don't know. We don't know," he says.

Now, Perez is among the ten to twelve thousand Marylanders, living in uncertainty.

"This isn't a decision the president takes lightly," says White House Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

While President Trump and his White House advisors dodge questions on what Tuesday might bring, lawmakers, including Maryland's own, have already come to the defense of the program.

Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen tweeting

"It is an insult to decency and common sense for dreamers to be targeted for deportation," says Van Hollen.

On Tuesday, thousands will descend on the nation's capital, to voice that same message.

"No matter what that announcement is, we'll take that fight to Congress if we have to. We'll take that fight to the courts if we have to because dreamers are too important," says Elizabeth Alex, CASA de Maryland.

Hundreds of people from Baltimore tomorrow will march from the white house to immigration headquarters in support of DACA together, with thousands expected from across the country.

President Trump is expected to phase out DACA, but there has been speculation that it will come on a six-month delay, allowing Congress time to pass legislation for a replacement program.

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