Erika Andiola, 25,and her mother came to the U.S. when she was 11 to escape an abusive father. She’s looking forward to not living in fear of being deported. “It gives you a sense belonging a little bit more than before.,” she said. She looks forward to using her psychology degree from ASU to help council victims of domestic violence.

In five years she hopes there will be a permanent immigration solution. “I need to be accepted in the country as what I am, an American” she said. “And be able to have a path to citizenship. A lot of my friends who are undocumented have engineering degrees from ASU. They can’t even put their talents to work. Perhaps one of them can be the next Google.”

Lucero Santillan, 24, came to the U.S. with her mom when she was 11-years-old. She has two siblings that are citizens and one that is undocumented. Her mother, Ramona Garcia, is a U.S. citizen. “I am going to be able to come out of the shadows, because you always live hiding.” She said.

“All the time that I came here from Mexico, I just stayed here. I didn’t go anywhere. I wish that I could travel like my friends,” she said.

It’s frustrating for her to watch her friends go to school, find careers and grow up. “I just want to make up for the time that I lost.” she said,” I want to go school and be a social worker.”

Carina Gayosso, 18, left, came to the U.S. when she was six-years-old. She is a freshman at Grand Canyon University in the pre-med program. She hopes to become a pediatrician. “Because most dreamers grew up here, this is all we know. We consider ourselves to be Americans. We know everything about here. We follow the rules. We learn about the constitution in school,” She said.” Some of us, we appreciate everything the U.S. gives us more than people who just have it for granted.”

Itzel Carreon, 22, came to the U.S. when she was a year old. She is working on an accounting degree while working full time. I will be able to use the knowledge I have gained for something that is actually pay worthy. At the moment I earn minimum wage. I do a salary job for eight bucks an hour,” she said.

“I don’t know what it means to be Mexican as opposed to what it means to be American,” she said. “I can’t say I assimilated to the culture because this is where I grew up. This is the culture that was handed to me.”

“If I’m going to be an accountant I am going to be the best dang accountant that’s out there. I’m not going to stop at that. I’m going to get my masters and maybe open my own firm,” she said.

I

leana Salinas was 15 when she came to the U.S. Her father decided to move the family from Mexico City after several children in her neighborhood were kidnapped. He sold his business and moved their family to Phoenix. 

She is the first person in her family to graduate college. “With my work permit I will be able to use my degree in psychology from ASU, and also I can create more opportunities for others,” she said.”

She knows what it feels like to almost loose living in the U.S. In 2009 she was detained during a camping trip and put into removal proceedings. Her case was terminated through the prosecutorial discretion that President Obama announced in 2011.