For East Texas DACA Recipients, 'Tyler Is Home'

After President Trump's decision to wind down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program this week, we've heard voices from big cities like Dallas and Houston.

Former NPR journalist Tasneem Raja has been collecting stories of people in Tyler who were brought into the country illegally as children for her news startup, The Tyler Loop. 

Credit Courtesy Photo

She profiled an engineering student, a kindergarten teacher, a nurse and an insurance salesman, who all call Tyler home. About a quarter of the population is Latino, and one in nine Tyler residents were born in another country. Raja said there was a big misconception among her readers about the process to gain citizenship.

"It can take years, even in the best of circumstances [to get permanent residency]," Raja said. "None of the people I talked to for this series are in the best of circumstances."

In this conversation, you'll hear:

• The story of Johnnatan, an insurance salesman now living in Dallas. His father still has five years to go before he can get an interview with a USCIS agent.
• The story of Leticia, a nurse who faced a delay in getting her work permit renewed.
• The immigration debate in Tyler.