Kern County immigrants welcome president’s action
»PLAY VIDEOPeople watch President Barack Obama’s address on immigration during a UFW watch party in Bakersfield, Calif., Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014. (KBAK/KBFX photo)
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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) – Emotions ran high as President Barack Obama announced his executive plan on immigration reform.
A crowd of immigrant families gathered at the United Farm Workers Foundation office to watch the presidential address.
"I am just so happy!" said Mily Treviño Sauceda, who has family members who are undocumented immigrants. "So happy that finally President Obama is doing the right thing."
According to Certified Immigration Specialist Win Eaton, up to 100,000 immigrants in Kern County stand to be impacted under the president’s plan.
The stakes are high for immigrant families. California has the highest number of undocumented immigrants in the country.
Under the president’s plan, undocumented parents who have children born in the United States or are legal permanent residents and have been here for at least five years without a serious criminal record will be eligible for protection from deportation, as well as for a work permit.
These benefits would be temporary for three years, as long as immigrants pass background checks and pay back taxes.
The plan does not provide for a pathway to citizenship. Only a law passed by Congress can accomplish that.
The other entity that benefits is an expanded group of people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children before Jan. 1, 2010, under the age of 16.
An estimated total of 11 million undocumented immigrants reside in the U.S., and about 5 million stand to benefit under the president’s plan. That excludes people such as Esperanza Carrillo of Bakersfield.
The 50-year-old farmworker has lived in Bakersfield for 17 years and has four children who already qualified under DACA, which stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Under this program, people who granted temporary protection status from deportation and are allowed to work legally.
But, since her children are not U.S. citizens nor permanent legal residents, Carrillo is left out of the president’s program. Still, she said she was happy for those who do qualify.
"So long as the young people benefit, us old folks are happy," said Carrillo with her voice cracking.