In this episode, Jason Hong, a former undocumented immigrant and DACA recipient, shares the story behind one of the most difficult decisions of his life: leaving the United States, the only home he had ever known, to start over in Madrid, Spain.

Jason's journey illuminates what it feels like to live under the constant uncertainty of immigration status, and what it takes to choose self-determination over waiting. Leaving wasn't an ending, it was the beginning of an entirely new chapter defined by personal agency, reinvention, and an unexpected sense of possibility.

Takeaways:

• Jason's journey, from undocumented student to DACA recipient to founder of the ONWARD Foundation, reflects the full complexity of what immigration actually looks like from the inside.
• The ONWARD Foundation exists to provide community, education, and professional pathways for Dreamers who have relocated beyond the United States.
• Legal barriers like the ten-year bar of inadmissibility shape the decisions of undocumented individuals in ways most people never consider.

This month marks 14 years since President Obama announced Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, and in this episode, I sit down with Dr. Ariana Aparicio to reflect on what those 14 years have meant, and what they have not yet delivered.

Dr. Aparicio is a higher education scholar, advocate, and DACA recipient whose story, from crossing the border at ten years old to earning a PhD from UC Riverside, captures everything this anniversary is about. In our conversation, she shares what DACA made possible for her, what it still cannot provide, and what it feels like to mentor students who cannot access the program at all.

We also dig into the legal landscape, the growing gap between who DACA was designed to help and who it actually reaches today, and why 14 years of temporary protection is not the same as belonging.

Key Takeaways:

• DACA was announced on June 15, 2012, providing temporary protection from deportation and work authorization for undocumented young people brought to the United States as children, but it has never been a pathway to citizenship
• Less than 30% of undocumented college students today have DACA, and new applicants have been unable to apply since 2017
• The program faces ongoing legal challenges, and under the current administration, even active DACA status offers limited protection from enforcement
• Fourteen years in, the anniversary is both a celebration and a reminder, of what DACA gave hundreds of thousands of people, and of how much remains unfinished

This episode features an enlightening dialogue centered around the immigrant experience in the United States, particularly through the poignant narrative of Daniela Rodriguez, a DACA recipient and co-founder of Migrant Equity Southeast. Daniela recounts her journey from Chiapas, Mexico, to Brunswick, Georgia, at the tender age of thirteen, highlighting the drastic cultural and social transition she faced. Her story encapsulates the struggles of undocumented immigrants, who often find themselves navigating a labyrinth of systemic barriers that hinder their pursuit of education and stability.

Takeaways:

• We possess the collective strength to unite and advocate for a more just society.
• It is imperative that we persist in our efforts to improve conditions for all.
• We must not passively accept systemic injustices when we have the means to enact change.
• Our communities are counting on us to challenge the status quo and demand equity.