Maria Alcantara paid more than $600 for the privilege of discovering she didn’t qualify for DACA.

In July of 2014, the second-year legal studies and Latin American and Latino studies student at UC Santa Cruz applied for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA – President Barack Obama’s executive action protecting some young undocumented immigrants from being deported.

At first she was hesitant. It would cost $465 dollars to apply, a large sum of money for her family, and she wasn’t even sure she qualified. Alcantara had arrived to the United States in 2009; in order to qualify for DACA, one must have arrived in 2007.

Published by Ryan Nelson

Ryan Nelson was the Opinion editor from 2015-16 and a member of the Bruin Editorial Board from 2013-16. He was an opinion columnist from 2012-14 and assistant opinion editor in 2015. Alongside other Bruin reporters, Nelson covered undocumented students for the Bridget O'Brien Scholarship Foundation. He also writes about labor issues, healthcare and the environment.

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