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Trump's immigration actions worry Tampa 'Dreamers'

Posted at 12:47 AM, Jan 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-26 06:49:36-05

Congresswoman Kathy Castor held a Dreamers town hall meeting, Wednesday evening, letting people know their rights.

She said there are more than 70,000 Dreamers in Florida that are protected from deportation by the Dream Act; they arrived as children and have been able to serve in the military, pursue an education or career.

While President Trump has said most immigrants do not need to worry because he is going after criminals, gang members, and drug dealers, many immigrants are worried about what is going to happen to their future.

"We're going to stand up and make the case that these are our neighbors. America is the only country they've ever known. We've invested in them; they go to school. Many are in the workplace now. It would be a real blow to the economy and our neighborhoods -our communities," Congresswoman Castor said.

Juan Garcia, 23, is a Dreamer.

"It means to be able to become someone bigger than I am right now," Garcia said.

Garcia is one of many who are worried President Trump will get rid of DACA and he'll be forced out of the country. Garcia said he is worried about what will happen to his personal information if DACA is repealed.

He continued, "it helped me because I can help out my family. I can continue school".

Ana Lamb is the president of LULAC Council 7250 and she said they have received calls from people who are afraid they will be deported.

RELATED: Action on immigration has thousands of central Florida families on edge

"I'm here because they are afraid even though they haven't said anything of what is going to happen. We need to be with them," Lamb said.

Others people disagree DACA will be taken away.

"I don't think Trump would do something like that considering they're children. He doesn't seem to have anything against children from what I understand," Francis Herman said.

Herman supports the announcement President Trump made this afternoon, signing an executive order to build a wall.

"They're stealing our jobs -the way I look at it- and I don't agree with that because like I said we need jobs ourselves," Herman said.