The dreams of about 800,000 undocumented students won’t be deferred, but their deportations will.
The Obama administration said Friday it will grant a two-year protection from deportation to undocumented students who were brought to the United States before the age of 16 and allow them to apply for work permits.
The students must earn a U.S. high school diploma or a GED, or serve in the military, among other criteria.
The policy is an adaptation of the DREAM Act, which was killed in Congress in 2010.
Victor Yengle, president of Coalition of Hispanics Integrating Spanish Speakers through Advocacy and Service, or CHISPAS, was brought to the U.S. at the age of 12.
When he was accepted to UF in 2009, Yengle was expected to pay international tuition.
“You feel like you’re in the door and you can see the other side, but you’re not able to step in,” he said.
Yengle, 23, established his permanent residency two years later, allowing him to pay in-state tuition and fulfill his dream of being a Gator.
Yengle celebrated with undocumented friends on Friday.
“People were saying, ‘I’m going to be able to have a driver’s license for the first time,’” he said.
