Spotlight
09.27.2022

DACA Spotlight: Mamadou

At RAICES, we work with undocumented youth to file DACA applications, provide financial assistance for filing fees, provide counsel on and assistance for DACA eligibility, and advocate for policy and litigation that defends the rights of all current and potential DACA recipients.

Mamadou is one of over a thousand DACA recipients who have received support from RAICES in recent years. Please take a moment to read Mamadou’s story. It serves as a reminder that ours is a fight not for policy but for humanity.

When Mamadou arrived in the U.S. from West Africa, he was only a year old. He came to the country with his mother, who was fleeing gender-based violence and searching for a place where she and her son could live safely. Mamadou is a DACA recipient who has been living in the United States for 30 years.

This country is his home.

RAICES is proud to have served Mamadou with financial assistance to renew his DACA during a difficult time in his life, exacerbated by the pandemic. Thanks to DACA, Mamadou is able to drive, go to work, go to school, and provide for his family, including his young daughter.

Mamadou’s dream is to have religious freedom and human rights for every single person who calls this country home. One day, he hopes to change American policy so people under DACA can finally live a better life.

Mamadou aspires to have access to a clear pathway to citizenship, since he’s been waiting for permanent residence in this country for almost 30 years. He hopes this happens soon.

The future of DACA remains unknown. However, our commitment to providing holistic, wrap-around services for all immigrants and refugees is assured. We will never stop fighting for our clients — and for all of the DACA recipients who rely on our services. We need you to continue to support our work. Can we count on you?