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DACA recipients push one last time for current Congress to enact reforms

Lobbying effort taking place before new Congress begins in January
Posted at 5:00 AM, Nov 21, 2022
and last updated 2022-11-21 07:17:57-05

WASHINGTON — This is not the first or the largest march that has ever occurred outside the United States Capitol over immigration reform.

"How many of these have you been to now?" Washington Correspondent Joe St. George asked Blanca Collazo, a DACA recipient from Phoenix.

"Too many," Collazo, an organizer with LUCHA in Arizona, replied.

While this is not Collazo's first march, it may be one of the most important.

"Right now, it's now or never," Collazo said.

Why is there a sense of urgency for DACA recipients?

Currently the House of Representatives, Senate and White House Democratic leaders have previously supported DACA and a pathway to citizenship for those who came to the U.S. undocumented as children.

In January, however, the House will be run by Republicans, many of whom have spoken out against DACA and a pathway to citizenship in the past.

As a result, Collazo knows getting something done next year is low.

That's why she has traveled a long way to push lawmakers to get something done over the next few weeks.

"Right now we are all really mad. We have been living our lives in limbo," Collazo said.

The reality is though if something could have passed Congress by now, it probably would have.

However, Democratic leaders appear to be at least trying one more time to find a deal over the next few weeks.

The new Congress begins on January 3.

Democratic Senator Dick Durbin from Illinois has been leading negotiations for Democrats and recently gave an update to the press.

"We need 10 Republicans who will step up and join us in this effort. I can think of four or five as I stand here. We need more," Sen. Durbin said.

"We've got an opportunity, that opportunity is the month of December," Durbin added.

That opportunity may require Democrats to do something for conservatives that, so far, many have been unwilling to do.

That of course is providing substantial funding and structural changes to address the current border situation.

Many Republicans have stressed that the country can't be giving away citizenship cards without better border security.

Two million plus migrants tried to enter our country last year.

As for Collazo, she is just glad a political fight over immigration is poised to happen over this holiday season.

Will she win? She doesn't know — right now, she is just believing.

"I believe that we will win," Collazo chanted.