California is home to around 2 million undocumented people. And in Southern California, roughly 80,000 of them have DACA, Deferred Action Childhood Arrival (although some stats put that number higher). It allows people to get a work permit, to pay in-state tuition, and to get a drivers license. But there are a lot of freedoms it doesn't grant, like freely traveling outside the US.

How to LA host Brian De Los Santos has had DACA for about a decade. He recently got approved to do something big: he's going to Mexico for the first time since he was 2 years old, through a process called advance parole.

It's a travel permit that allows DACA recipients to leave the country and come back. However, the permit is issued with a very specific time window, and is only given for certain travel reasons. 

And the big one: it doesn’t guarantee admission back into the country. But despite the stress, Brian's taking the opportunity to go Mexico and see family he hasn't seen since he was a toddler.

In the first part of this series, Brian's bringing in a couple of his friends and fellow DACA recipients to talk about all of his hopes and fears for the trip, and what it's like to live with DACA in the U.S., which is very much like living in limbo every day. We've got more of Brian's story over on LAist.com, so be sure to check that out. 

As A DACA Beneficiary, I’ve Been Waiting For This Trip To Mexico All My Life

If you have DACA and want to apply for advance parole, it's very important that you consult with an immigration attorney. These organizations can help get you started:

CALIFORNIA MEXICO CENTER https://www.california-mexicocenter.org/cmdsummer2023/

CARECEN LA https://www.carecen-la.org/can_i_apply_for_advance_parole?locale=en

Guests:
Chris Farias, LAist social media producer;  José Alonso Munoz, deputy communications manager for United We Dream, an immigrant youth-led support network

Music Credits This Week:
Chris Schlarb, The Mod Archive, Quetzal, Naran Ratan, Natalia Lafourcade, Austin Cross, Old Saw, & Anthony Barilla

 

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