President Donald Trump set off speculation on whether or not he would rescind D.A.C.A. or Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals, "We’ll be releasing on D.A.C.A. sometime over the weekend."
The policy ushered in under the Obama administration gives undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children two year renewable protection against deportation. The policy is controversial.
"This is an issue that I really struggle with a lot ," said a woman, who did not want to give her name, but added the home care industry she works in would be impacted if it were rescinded.
"It wasn’t their decision to even be brought here and they grew up here and this is all they know they’re just as American as me, and I was born here," says Indio resident Mahmoud Shurky.
"I have no problem with it (D.A.C.A. being rescinded) so we need to take care of the American children first," says Eden Salgado from Palm Desert.
"I’m thoroughly against that I believe they add a lot to the United States," says Palm Springs resident Aron Fletcher.
Those who qualify for D.A.C.A. were brought here before they were 16 years old, arrived before 2007, and do not have a criminal record not even a D.U.I.. D.A.C.A. students are scared of what might happen.
"I’ve been here my whole life and I’m still actually undocumented right now so I’m just praying that I get to finish school and I get to be an American citizen," says Brandon Montes of Cathedral City.
But the Vice President of Student Success at College of the Desert Annebelle Nery says students in California should not go to school in fear or stop going altogether, "No they shouldn’t be afraid we will process their paperwork we are a D.R.E.A.M. Act friendly state … irrespective of the federal decision our system will support all students,"
For her the issue hits too close to home. Before Nery’s parents were granted amnesty under the Reagan administration, she says her mother was deported three times, "I had to end up taking care of my brothers multiple times when the deportations happened and we again will support our students, we understand their stories, many us have experienced those stories and we’re very lucky that our president, board of trustees fully support all our students."
Nery added there are student support groups for D.A.C.A. students and they can go to communities to help inform them on their policies but students need to reach out to them for help.
