More than 100 undocumented youth in the Quad Cities have the ability to get work permits and continue their education through President Obama's deferred action program.
Nearly 4,600 undocumented youths across the country have already been approved for the program.
“This particular program is set up for our undocumented youth that were brought to the United States before the age of 16; many of them then resided here.”
The program helps them get work permits and continue their education.
“They`ve gone through school from kindergarten all the way up to 12th grade, then once they get into 12th grade, they were not given the opportunity to work or go on to school.”
Today the Casa Quad Cities held a workshop to help people fill out the application.
“It`s a pretty lengthy process and a lot of people may put themselves at risk if they don`t know how to do it properly.”
One applicant, whose name had to be kept private, graduated in 2004 and has struggled to find a job.
“Well you have bills to pay and you have a lot of expenses to take care of and you have to try and find work out of something, work out of anything you know.”
One of his dreams is to go to college but he can’t afford to go, “That`s one of the goals I want to take care of with this program.”
“They`re deferring any sort of deportation proceedings,” the program is not a law just an initiative says Woods. “Allowing them to have extended two years work permit.”
"You just feel afraid, embarrassed sometimes,” says the applicant.
He says the program will make his life a whole lot easier, "I won't be afraid of being involved of going out there helping out others like they helping me."
Approved applicants will also be able to get a driver's license under the program.