With time running out for the renewal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which ends on March 5, protesters in West Michigan call for the Congress to take action and pass a bill that will renew the immigrant program.
While many youth are unsure of their future now that DACA is coming to an end, organized protests continue to move in the streets of West Michigan calling upon lawmakers to pass a bill renewing the immigrant program.
In an interview with FOX 17, DACA recipient and student Danny Caracheo expressed his frustrations regarding the Congress' slow approach to granting renewal to the immigrant program. He questioned that if the lawmakers are continuing to ignore their constituents on this particular matter, then there are other important issues they are paying no heed to.
"If lawmakers are choosing to ignore their constituents on such a matter that has so much support, what other issues are they ignoring?" Caracheo asked.
Caracheo is among the 800,000 student immigrants whose education has been put on hold when President Trump's immigration reforms refused to renew the immigrant program directed toward the youth.
According to reports, as ICE arrests continue to rise, student immigrants are finding it harder to continue pursuing their education. Just last year, there have been 143,470 arrest cases -- the highest in three years.
During the ongoing protest in Grand Rapids, two women, members of The West Michigan Coalition for Immigration Reform, were hit by an SUV while in the middle of protesting.
The accident occurred between Michigan Street and Ottawa Avenue, where a total of 30 people were protesting in support of the DACA and immigrant rights.
The women incurred no major complications, but they were still brought to the hospital for treatment.
Members of the group voiced their frustrations saying that the police did not do enough to protect them.
According to the Grand Rapids Police, they asked the protesters to stay out of the roadway and get permits in order to organize legal protests.
Investigation is still ongoing regarding the incident.
