DACA Attorney sues Trump Administration

Many undocumented workers are paid “under the table.” Attorney Dulce Garcia spent much of her childhood sleeping under the table.

Garcia has famously filed suit against the Trump Administration over its decision to the end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. She and her four co-claimants argue that the government went back on its word to provide a path to citizenship for the nearly 800,000 DACA recipients.

Like 79 percent of Dreamers, Garcia was born in Mexico. She was apart of a hard-working family that came to the United States when she was four years old. She grew up in Barrio Logan and worked hard to become educated and earn a law degree.

Garcia’s family could not afford to rent an apartment, so they rented a room —the dining room.

“We rented out the dining room, so I used to sleep underneath the dining room table,” she said.

In 2015 Garcia earned a law degree from Marshall- Cleveland College of Law in San Diego and passed the California State Bar that same year.

She is a practicing immigration and criminal defense attorney and established her own law firm in Chula Vista in 2016.

Now Garcia is seeking justice for DACA-eligible people who have worked hard to earn a place in America as students, members of the military and contributing professionals.

“For me, this lawsuit is a voice for us,” she said. “We are speaking on our own behalf. We are filing the lawsuit on behalf of 800,000 DACA recipients.”

Garcia said the lawsuit is a means to inform the Trump Administration about the history of Dreamers and the pledge this nation made to them.

“It is a way to speak, to tell our stories, to tell who we are,” she said. “To tell the stories of our parents and their sacrifices, as well.”

Ali Torabi, a DACA recipient from Iran, said he supports the lawsuit.

“Some people were worried (the suit) was going to (get us sent) back, but it didn’t do that at all,” he said. “(It means we no longer) have to accept trash from the White House.”

Torabi said he admires Garcia.

“Of all the Dreamers I know, I firmly believe Dulce is one of the most remarkable and inspiring figures of this community,” he said.

Border Angels founder Enrique Morones said he respects Garcia’s bravery and self-motivation.

“She could easily be the victim but here she is saying, ‘I’m undocumented and unafraid,’” Morones said.

Garcia said she will continue to advocate for Dreamers in the community despite constant attacks by President Trump.

“We will not be bullied,” she said. “We have the law and fairness on our side.”