DALLAS - Filing out a government form, especially one that costs $465, does not usually rank high as a life experience.
Unless it's the government's "Consideration for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals" form.
If approved, it will allow 21-year-old Bryan Herrera, a University of North Texas senior, to plan a permanent work-life in United States.
Mexican consulates around Texas were swamped Wednesday as applicants gathered passports and ID cards needed to apply.
"I'm glad that the government is paying attention to us,” Herrera said.
His parents brought him to the United States from Mexico when he was four. And while both his parents have green cards, he is the only one in his family who cannot work legally.
Starting Wednesday, 1.4-million undocumented immigrants under 30, can apply to stay and work in the United States.
"This actually allows me to work legally," Herrera said. "So, I'm actually really excited about that."
This all started in June, when President Obama announced the historic and controversial plan. It followed criticism by Hispanic voters who said the President had failed to reform the nation's immigration system, as promised.
Herrera, who wants to go to law school, said it will now allow him to take even the simplest job, like bagging groceries.
"Paying taxes is something is something everyone should do," he said. "And I'm excited to do it."
Critics call the Obama program a form of "backdoor amnesty" that opens the door to fraud.
E-mail dschechter@wfaa.com
