DACA Entrepreneur Still at Risk of Deportation Despite Business Success
*By Bridgette Webb*
It's been a year since President Trump moved to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, commonly known as DACA. The program is still afloat, but remains on shaky ground, leaving roughly 700,000 young undocumented immigrants in limbo.
It's an issue that weighs heavy on "Dreamer" Victor Santos, a CEO and co-Founder of Boston-based start-up Airfox.
"Since the Trump administration, it's not quite clear on what will come of DACA in the next few years," Santos said Monday in an interview on Cheddar.
DACA allows certain individuals who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children to receive permits to avoid deportation on a two-year, renewable basis and eventually become eligible for a work permit.
Reneging on this policy ultimately precludes these people from contributing to the economy, which could have a big effect on the country, Santos said.
"As an entrepreneur, having Trump cancel the start-up visa and making it harder and harder for H-1B entrepreneurs \[to come\] into the U.S., it's been an impactful experience for myself, but also for engineers that we bring on from other countries," he said.
"DACA is creating billions in terms of output for the economy, these kids are doctors and entrepreneurs; they are people that considers themselves American."
Airfox, a mobile bank, has 20 employees and provides financial services for emerging industries like mobile microloans to "unbanked" users in Brazil, where interest rates chart upwards of 200 percent.
The immigration debate will inevitably rage on, and may very well head to the U.S. Supreme Court. In Texas, there was a surprise ruling in which a judge kept the DACA program in place, a decision that may undergo federal scrutiny.
The future is further in question as the U.S. awaits confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court.
The conservative judge, who faced four days of Senate hearings last week, will most likely vote with right-leaning colleagues to squash DACA.
The confirmation process, Santos said, is detracting from the real-life ramifications of killing the program.
"This whole thing is purely political and quite frankly, racist, to say the least," he said.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/daca-uncertainty-leaves-dreamers-in-limbo).
Apple is now the latest company taking a stand against NSO Group. The company filed a lawsuit today against the Pegasus spyware maker for allegedly infecting users' devices. Apple is also seeking a permanent injunction to ban NSO Group from using any apple software, services, or devices. Filipe Espósito, a reporter at 9to5Mac joins Cheddar News to discuss.
The Bayou State has been through some tough times with massive storms on top of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the state is looking to rebuild by leaning into its reputation as a tourist destination. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser joined Cheddar to talk about Louisiana's work to reacquaint travelers with its renowned food, music, culture, Mardi Gras — and its Celebration Gator float at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. "Well they won't let us throw throws so we'll be going along the route handing out beads, stuffed alligators, telling people to book a trip to Louisiana," he said of the event.
Actor Ally Maki joined Cheddar's "Between Bells" to talk about her role as Detective Haruka on the recently premiered Hulu animated series "Hit-Monkey." Maki's character is one of the few women police detectives on the Tokyo force in the show based on an assassin snow monkey originally created for Marvel Comics. "I just love playing this character who is strong, and she's trying to find her voice within this field," she said.
Simon Mainwaring, CEO of We First and author of "LEAD WITH WE: The Business Revolution That Will Save Our Future," joins Cheddar Wellness to discuss what realizations job seekers are coming to, how expectations surrounding work have evolved over the course of the pandemic, and what employers can do to retain and attract employees during this time.
Adam Kaat, a former grocery store cashier, discusses his experience as an essential worker during the pandemic in his new book, "Life on the Grocery Line: A Frontline Experience in a Global Pandemic."
If you're planning on traveling during the Thanksgiving holiday, you may need to prepare yourself for traffic and issues you could encounter. Travel expert Francesca Page joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges Friday after pleading self-defense in the deadly Kenosha shootings that became a flashpoint in the debate over guns, vigilantism and racial injustice in the U.S. Criminal Defense Attorney Anthony Tall joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss the verdict, potential judicial precedent, and more.
Fold CEO & Co-founder Will Reeves joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he discusses what his company's augmented reality metaverse involves and elaborates on Fold's goals surrounding the new initiative.
