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'I Don't Want To Be Taken Away': Dreamer Fearful Of DACA's Future

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- As the government ended their shutdown Monday, a new clock started for the group known as Dreamers. Nearly 800,000 of them brought to the United States as children illegally.

Augustina Britez, a DACA recipient told CBS4, "It feels unimaginable. Because I came here when I was one year old. I basically grew up here."

Britez has been able to live here legally under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.

President Donald Trump announced last year that he plans to end DACA in March.

"I am scared, well not scared, but fearful of what might happen to the program I'm in. I don't want it to be taken away," Britez said.

If DACA goes away, it is presumed Dreamers like Britez could be deported to countries they may not even know.

Abril Gallardo, another DACA recipient says she is concerned.

"It has given me a little bit of anxiety just thinking that, while in Washington, D.C. politicians play and talk about their personal agendas, they don't realize that what they're doing, they're playing and making decisions that affect lives, like my life and the lives of hundreds of thousands of immigrant youth like myself," Gallardo said.

DACA recipient David Buenrostro is holding out hope.

"It's been really stressful, at least not knowing whether or not folks are going to be able to renew their DACA. And, as of now I think, I continue with this uncertainty, but also I do have some hope that they are going to do the right thing," Buenrostro said.

The White House has stressed that DACA must be resolved by Congress as part of the greater immigration issue.

Tuesday South Florida Republican Congressman Mario Diaz Balart signaled he has hope they will make a deal.

"I think there is enough of us, Republicans and Democrats that are willing to put partisan politics aside.  Let me tell you I'm optimistic, it's very different, but I am cautiously optimistic that the adults in the room will prevail," he said.

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