throughout the morning
reporting live. Downtown Corley
peel KPRC. 2 news are calling.
back here in the studio.
We’ve got a special guest with
the executive director of FIEL
Houston. The 6 are Espinosa.
>> Sir, how you doing?
>> Thank you for having me.
Thanks for being a little bit
nervous. But we get home,
please, please, a Dhaka
recipient yourself. Yes.
Tell us a little bit about the
for those that don’t know how
the program works. I was
brought here at the age of 5
from Mexico City, Mexico have
done my whole life here in
Houston. I probably know
Houston better than any other
place in the world, right?
that my school went to college
here in 2012, they announced
the Dhaka program under
President Obama. We were all
happy elated to see this
program come to life after
fighting for so
many years. Unfortunately, here
we more than a decade later
fighting to keep this program
has helped so many of us come
out of the shadows, get
driver’s license, be able to
finish school, et cetera, et
cetera. And essentially what
that did was allow you to stay
in this country. It didn’t
change the legal status,
though, but it basically said,
look, you’re going to be okay,
you can work. You can live your
life and don’t worry about it.
>> Yes, a lot of people have a
misconception. One dock
actually did aka the only thing
the Dhaka cent as we promised
not to deport you 2 years out
of times every 2 years we have
to pay to get into the system.
We have to go through the
background checked. We have to
do all of that just to be to
be guaranteed the promise that
we’re not going to be deported
back 2 years at a time to
Dhaka. was during that time.
Just a certain portion of them
go for citizenship or some
other legal status. I mean, I’m
sure it’s a long there’s a
chart that we actually show it
shows maybe 200 ways pathway
that people can get, which many
of them are. Unfortunately.
>> Where were blocked for, for
example, in my case, there’s no
other way that I can unless
it’s through And so it’s it’s,
you know, it would take about
4 hours. So explain that are
are, but basically Dhaka does
not offer a pencil pathway to
citizenship. People may have
other options, but the program
itself does not really offer us
a pat to say, okay, now I’m
ready to become a resident and
then eventually again,
citizenship. So what about this
rule and what we expect to hear
in court and what happens after
today? Well, today is going to
be very anti climatic when it
when it happens. Today is are
attorneys and the stand.
The state attorneys led by the
state of Texas are going to
are you the case on the We both
sides will have a chance to
state their point and then
Judge Hanen was the judge in
charge of this Will we don’t
expect a decision from him
today? We expect the decision
come weeks or months after
today and then we go back to
the courts, 5th circuit and
then eventually the Supreme
Court. Just one more ruling on
the way to the Supreme Court.
Texas argues the Dhaka program
siphons tax money from citizens
and what he what your guys
argument to that. I mean, we
have multiple studies that have
been done. The Pew Hispanic the
National Immigration Law Center
who which that immigrants pay
into the system more than
weekend Biden, I myself worked
for many you know, file taxes
have been continue to work.
I’m almost the entirety of my
life and I don’t get any any
federal benefits. I don’t
really get. And even if it’s in
terms of health care or
insurance or anything like
that, so unfortunately, people
continue the to use the
immigration issue and the doc
issue to push their own
political agendas, which is
unfair to us. Are you going
back out for the rally later
time? We will be out and the
rally later on will be and will
be there along the way in the
5th circuit in and eventually
the Supreme Court, whatever it
takes to make sure that we get
continue to offer a permanent
solution for DACA We have heard
from a lot of those recipients
in some sense. It’s like living
in fear as you sort of way for
this to get shaken out because
of the ruling goes the other
way.
>> Like, what am I going to get
deported? Who knows? Right?
Living with your future up in
the air is not a fun thing.
I imagine. Absolutely. I mean,
imagine people that are
teachers and paramedics and
doctors who are who are trying
to live their normal lives in
the House. And this could
definitely approved.
>> Whatever future that plan