A demonstrator holds a sign in support of DACA at Hayward City Hall on September 7, 2017. Photo: David Rodriguez

[su_box title=”Defending DACA”][su_audio url=”https://eltecolote.org/content/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/daca_non_profit_groups_20170909.m4a”] With the Trump administration rescinding DACA on Sept. 5, 2017, various Bay Area immigrant advocacy groups have volunteered to provide free legal services to undocumented immigrants. By David Rodriguez.[/su_box]

[su_pullquote align=”right”]“I don’t see them just sitting back and letting this just end, but I see them actually taking a strong advocacy stance to fight for something that’s more long term and permanent.”[/su_pullquote]

Non-profit immigrant advocacy groups around the Bay Area have been quick to take the next steps after the Trump administration’s announcement of terminating DACA earlier this week.

On September 5th, 2017, the San Jose based organization Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network – also known as SIREN – held a press conference on DACA in Santa Clara County.

“I don’t see them just sitting back and letting this just end, but I see them actually taking a strong advocacy stance to fight for something that’s more long term and permanent.”

SIREN is offering free renewal applications for its DACA clients in direct response to Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ remarks on ending of the Obama-era program.

“It was young people that created DACA, it was their advocacy and grassroots effort that created DACA,” says SIREN’s Executive Director Maricela Gutierrez.

SIREN is hosting forums to inform the public on DACA, to support DACA recipients, and host workshops on how to open your own business as a DACA recipient.

La Raza Centro Legal (LRCL) was one of the organizations that attended the San Francisco protest on the day of Session’s remarks. Thousands gathered at the Federal Building at 7th and Mission Street.

[su_box title=”Defending DACA: Video by Alejandro Galicia-Diaz”][su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUTyAW4VL6Y”][/su_box]

LRCL is a San Francisco non-profit organization that provides legal services in immigration law, workers’ rights, and senior and housing law.

Vicky Castro of LRCL says that the organization offers information if ICE raids occur, and that the organization offers a right to counsel to individuals who are in deportation proceedings.

“Things like that has been in the pipeline working for a while now — even prior to 45 becoming president,” says Castro. “But even more so in the past month, when we were hearing that DACA was on the table to get cut.”

The Chair of Alameda County’s Human Relations, Aisha Wahab, spoke at the Hayward demonstration on September 7, 2017 — one of the latest protests in support of DACA recipients.

“Regardless of our differences, we are one people. We should be treated equally. And at the same time you know the dreamers are students, young people, striving for greatness,” said Wahab after the demonstration.

While the future of 800,000 DACA recipients’ is unclear, non-profit immigrant advocacy groups in the Bay Area have plans to fight.