DACA recipients see little reason to hope in latest proposal

PHOENIX (AP) — Immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children see little reason to be hopeful about the latest proposal to extend protections to them as part of President Donald Trump’s plan to reopen the federal government.

Commonly referred to as “dreamers,” the recipients of the Obama-era program known as DACA also say they are growing weary of being pawns in every political battle over immigration.

Trump proposes to extend the program for three years but with drastic changes that advocates regard as non-negotiable. The fate of about 700,000 dreamers hangs in the balance.

Daniel Briones is one of the dreamers. The 30-year-old says it’s hard to go to his banking job every day in San Marcos, Texas, not knowing what the future holds. He says politicians don’t understand that.