APOPKA, Fla. — Central Florida DACA Dreamers held a rally Thursday morning in Apopka to voice concerns about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as children.
The rally comes as the program’s deadline approaches for Congress to come up with a plan to save the program.
In Florida, there are 72,000 "Dreamers," or beneficiaries of the program.
"I am DACA. I am a daughter. I am a student. I am a wife and I am a dreamer," one woman, who did not want to be identified, said to Channel 9's Sarahbeth Ackerman.
She came to America 12 years ago to be reunited with her sick mother. The woman learned English, went to school and spent nine years to try and get a visa, but was rejected.
"We tried to come here the right way, and we got denied," the woman said.
The overall message was that undocumented immigrants feel that American broke a promise to them and they want it to be fixed.
The rally was held at the Hope CommUnity Center, an organization that seeks to empower Central Florida's immigrant and working poor communities.
"It is unconscionable and just mean -- cruel to play with these kids' lives in the way that our government is doing it," said Sister Ann Kendrick, who works with the organization. "It breaks my heart, calls me to tears and it gives me great anger."
Kendrick said she won't quit her fight.