Dear friend,

For eight months, a young woman named Beth, who lives in our district, waited to find out whether she would still have the right to work. Beth was brought to the United States from Mexico at the age of one and grew up right here in San Marcos. Like thousands of other “Dreamers” under DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), she has spent years doing everything asked of her. She renewed her status every two years, paid her fees, and submitted to background checks.

However, this year, that renewal turned into an agonizing wait. When Beth's DACA status lapsed in February, she lost her job and began avoiding public places altogether, afraid of what might happen if she were stopped by immigration agents.

When I heard Beth's story, it stayed with me. My office took on her case. We wrote letters, pressed USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) for answers, and refused to let her fall through the cracks. Three weeks later, Beth checked her status online and found that her renewal had finally been approved.