DENVER — There's uncertainty yet again for Dreamers in Colorado and nationwide.
"It's been kind of difficult just because we have been in this limbo state for such a long time, since 2012," MSU Denver senior Leslie Bernal said
On Wednesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is unlawful, upholding the 2021 decision of a lower court.
"For the people who have DACA now, it doesn't mean anything different than what the status is right now," immigration attorney and advocate Joy Athanasiou said.
That means current DACA recipients can renew their status, but new applicants still aren't being accepted.
For Dreamers like Bernal, the court's decision is another delay in planning her future.
"It has really affected me just because I don't know what I'm gonna do when I graduate," Bernal said.
The case will now go back to Federal District Court in Houston where a judge will have to make a decision again, this time taking into consideration regulation the Biden administration introduced this year to protect the program.
"I think whether the district judge finds that it's lawful or unlawful, I think we'll likely see it back in front of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals," Athanasiou said.
The whole process could possibly take another year or two to complete, keeping Dreamers in a state of unknown.
"For them, it's really an uncertain and a scary time until they are able to get full permanent resident status in the US and be able to live here safely," Athanasiou said.
Bernal hopes U.S. Congressmembers take the time to carve them a path toward citizenship.
"We just want equal rights, and we just want someone to listen to us and our needs," she said.
