>>> A FEDERAL JUDGE DECLARES THAT DEFERRED ACTION FOR CHILDHOOD ARRIVALS PROGRAM, BETTER KNOWN AS DACA, TO BE ILLEGAL.

ULTIMATELY, IT IS EXPECTED THE DECISION WILL LIE IN THE HANDS OF THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.

THAT WILL BE THE THIRD TIME DACA HAS COME BEFORE THE HIGH COURT SINCE IT WAS INSTITUTED BY EXECUTIVE ORDER DURING THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION IN 2012.

THE FEDERAL JUDGE DID NOT ORDER AN IMMEDIATE END TO THE PROGRAM OR ACTIONS AGAINST DACA RECIPIENTS BUT THE RULING HAS, NEVERTHELESS, CREATED AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE FOR THE ROUGHLY 580,000 DREAMERS IN THE U.S.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE ON THE RULING'S IMPACT ON DACA RECIPIENTS ARE LUCY DOMINGUEZ, A MEMBER OF AND A DACA RECIPIENT, DEMOCRAT CONGRESSWOMAN DELIA RAMIREZ OF ILLINOIS THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT AND ERICA, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THE YOUNG CENTER FOR IMMIGRANT CHILDREN'S RIGHTS.

I WANT TO WELCOME YOU ALL.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

I WANT TO START WITH YOU.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

WHAT IS YOUR REACTION AS A DACA RECIPIENT?

>> MY IMMEDIATE REACTION WAS EXHAUSTION AND ALMOST LIKE D÷J÷ VU.

WE WERE JUST HERE A YEAR, TWO YEARS AGO GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING.

IMMEDIATELY, IT IS EXHAUSTION AND CONCERN FOR MYSELF, MY FAMILY MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE CONSTANTLY HAVING TO WAIT ON DECISION AFTER DECISION TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WILL BE NEXT FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.

>> I IMAGINE YOU TALK TO OTHER FRIENDS WHO ARE DACA RECIPIENTS AS WELL.

WHAT HAVE THEY SAID?

>> A LOT OF THEM ARE WONDERING WHAT THIS MEANS, EVEN THOUGH NOTHING HAS CHANGED FOR DACA.

IT STILL PUTS COMMUNITIES IN EMERGENCY MODE, SURVIVAL MODE.

DO I NEED TO APPLY NOW?

WILL I LOSE MY STATUS RIGHT AWAY?

WHAT DOCUMENTS DO I NEED TO GET IN LINE?

STUDENTS HAVE TO GET MESSAGING AND INFORMATION OUT TO COMMUNITIES.

>> WE HAVE HAD COMMISSIONS SINCE 2012 SINCE THE PROGRAM WAS INTRODUCED.

REPRESENTATIVE RAMIREZ, IN HIS RULING, THE JUDGE POINTED OUT THAT EVEN THOUGH DACA HAS COME UNDER LEGAL CHALLENGE REPEATEDLY, CONGRESS HAS NOT PASSED ANYTHING TO REPLACE IT YET.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHY THAT MIGHT BE?

>> FIRST I WILL SAY TO YOU, I DON'T AGREE WITH THE JUDGE ON ANYTHING EXCEPT THAT HE'S RIGHT, CONGRESS SHOULD HAVE PASSED LEGISLATION THAT WOULD CREATE THE PATHWAY.

THE REALITY IS THAT DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, WHEN DEMOCRATS ARE IN THE MAJORITY, NEITHER HAVE PASSED IT.

I THINK IT IS BECAUSE WE ARE AT A PLACE WHERE THERE IS SUCH POLITICAL DIVISION THAT WE HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT OUR JOB IS TO GOVERN AND REPRESENT THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

MY HUSBAND IS A DACA RECIPIENT.

KNOWING THAT JUST GIVES ME A HIGHER SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY IN MAKING SURE THAT WE GET JUST FIVE REPUBLICANS ON THIS SIDE TO VOTE FOR IT IN THE SENATE.

>> ERIKA, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM DACA RECIPIENTS AS WELL ABOUT THE RULING?

HOW MIGHT THIS IMPACT YOUNG IMMIGRANTS' DESIRE TO STAY HERE IN THE US?

>> IT HAS BEEN CONFUSING.

IT HAS BEEN REALLY CONFUSING FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FOLLOW ALL OF THE DIFFERENT REPORTS, DECISIONS.

IT IS HARD.

EVEN FOR MYSELF, I AM A DACA RECIPIENT.

IT IS FOR MYSELF TO KEEP UP WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT COURT MANEUVERS AND THE DIFFERENT DECISIONS.

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE PEOPLE WHO DON'T FOLLOW THIS FOR A LIVING LIKE I DO, HOW HARD IT MUST BE TO TRY TO KEEP UP AND UNDERSTAND.

IN SOME WAYS, A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TUNE OUT.

SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENS AND WE MAY NOT HAVE THE GREATEST OUTCOME.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, CONGRESS WILL BE READY.

WE WILL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO STAY IN THIS COUNTRY SAFELY.

WHEN WE GOT TO THAT POINT, PEOPLE ARE WORRIED .

A LOT OF FOLKS ARE NOT NECESSARILY TUNED IN BECAUSE IT IS SO CONFUSING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON.

>> DEFINITELY.

IT HAS BEEN 11 LONG YEARS FOR DACA RECIPIENTS, AS YOU WELL KNOW.

WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE THIS MIGHT COME TO THE SUPREME COURT.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FROM CONGRESS AND THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IN THE SHORT TERM?

>> I THINK TO CONTINUE WORKING TO PUSH FOR PROTECTIONS FOR DACA RECIPIENTS.

THE RESPONSE WE HAVE BEEN SEEING TOWARD VENEZUELANS, THOSE ARE THE URGENT DECISIONS WE NEED TO BE MADE AND WE NEED TO EXPAND THAT TO MORE PEOPLE.

FROM CONGRESS AND FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN, CONTINUE TO KEEP THIS TOP OF MIND AND NOT PUT THIS BEHIND.

>> GOING BACK -- SPEAKING OF ACTIONS, REPRESENTATIVE RAMIREZ , WHAT ACTION WILL YOU AND LIKE-MINDED CONGRESS PEOPLE BE TAKING IN RESPONSE TO THIS RULING?

>> LOOK, WE HAVE THE PROMISE THAT HAS BEEN REINTRODUCED.

THIS TIME WE HAVE A FEW REPUBLICANS ON THE BILL.

WHAT I SAID LAST WEEK WAS, WE KNEW THIS WAS HAPPENING.

PUT THE FIRE OUT UNDER US TO FINALLY PUSH THIS FORWARD.

IN THE MEANTIME, CALLING ON THE PRESIDENT TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE THOSE PROGRAMS AND PROTECTIONS.

THE REALITY IS, WE KNOW THE DECISION WILL BE IF IT GOES TO THE SUPREME COURT SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HELPING PEOPLE AT THE BORDER, DACA RECIPIENTS, PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE 10 TO 15 YEARS AND NEW ARRIVALS.

WHAT I AM HEARING FROM PEOPLE IS WE CARE ABOUT THE DACA RECIPIENTS, THEY ARE KIDS.

THE REALITY IS, THEY ARE NOT CHILDREN ANYMORE.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING IS, UNTIL THEY CLOSE THE BORDER, WE WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT DACA.

IT IS PITTING US AGAINST EACH OTHER.

80% OF AMERICANS SUPPORT A PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP FOR DACA RECIPIENTS.

WE NEED TO CODIFY.

WE NEED TO PASS LEGISLATION THIS CONGRESS.

>> ERIKA, ABOUT HALF OF CURRENT DACA RECIPIENTS LIVE IN THREE STATES.

CALIFORNIA HAS 20%.

TEXAS HAS 17% AND ILLINOIS HAS ABOUT 5% OF THE DREAMER POPULATION.

WHAT HAS THE NATIONAL RESPONSE BEEN TO THIS RULING, SINCE THE RULING WAS ANNOUNCED?

>> WELL, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE TRY TO UNDERSTAND.

I WOULD SAY, IN TERMS OF ADVOCATES, PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR THIS, WE REALLY HAVE HAD THE URGENCY FOR YEARS NOW SINCE DACA WAS SUED.

WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PUSH CONGRESS AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PUSH PRESIDENT BIDEN.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE NEED TO ASK, ALSO, AND DEMAND THAT DEMOCRATS SAY THEY ARE THE PARTY THAT SUPPORTS IMMIGRATION REFORM, TO HAVE COURAGE , ESPECIALLY PRESIDENT BIDEN WHO HAS SO MUCH POWER IN THIS COUNTRY, TO PUSH HARDER.

OTHERWISE, PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF, PEOPLE LIKE DULCE, WE WILL BE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO WORK .

WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR OUR FAMILIES.

THIS PROGRAM HAS CHANGED OUR LIVES.

WE HAVE REALLY BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY.

FOR THIS, AND MANY OTHER REASONS, WE NEED TO PASS SOMETHING PERMANENT.

>> THIS BRINGS ME BACK TO YOU, DULCE.

SPEAKING OF WORKFORCE SHORTAGE THAT THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN SEEING, HOW DO YOU EXPECT INDUSTRIES TO REACT AND DEPEND ON IMMIGRANT LABOR IN RESPONSE TO THIS RULE?

>> WE NEED TO HEAR A LOT MORE FROM THEM.

WE HAVE A GROWING AGING POPULATION AND A BIG DEMAND FOR WORKERS HERE.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE POPULATING THE COUNTRY WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO BRING IN IMMIGRANTS.

WE WANT TO SEE MORE EMPLOYERS, MORE CORPORATIONS SPEAKING MORE ABOUT HOW THIS WILL IMPACT THEM.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, ALSO CITY AND LOCAL OFFICIALS.

THIS IS AFFECTING THEIR LOCAL ECONOMIES.

>> THANK YOU.

WE HAVE LESS THAN A MINUTE BUT I WANTED TO END WITH THIS QUESTION FOR YOU, REPRESENTATIVE RAMIREZ.

DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE U.S. WILL BE EXPANDING THE TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE STATUS AUTHORIZATION, BETTER KNOWN AS TPS, WHAT IMPACT DO YOU THINK THAT WILL HAVE HERE IN ILLINOIS AND NATIONWIDE?

>> IT WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.

THE NUMBER JUST AWAITING AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO START WORKING, THIS WILL REALLY HELP THEM MOVE ALONG AND DO THAT.

I AM ASKING -- I JUST SENT OUT A RELIEF.

I UP PLOD THEM AND WE NEED THAT FOR OTHERS THAT ARE HERE, BOTH NEW ARRIVALS AND OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME.