Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg joined civic and community leaders at a rally to call on President Donald Trump to continue the program that allows children brought to the U.S. illegally to pursue their education.
Steinberg asked the crowd, "Are our dreamers going to have the right to pursue their dreams?"
The program is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, which has given nearly 800,000 young immigrants freedom from deportation as they work toward a diploma.
Rosemary Ramirez, a Sacramento State senior who now has permanent resident status says DACA allowed her to fully participate in school without worry.
"No one deserves to live in fear every day," Ramirez says. "Going outside of their home, thinking that that's the last time they'll be coming back into the same door. It's not a healthy lifestyle."
President Trump faces a September 5th deadline for a decision. The date was set by leaders of conservative states who say they'll add DACA to a court challenge against a related program for the children's parents if he extends DACA.