Dreaming to end deportation

A group called the Dreamers made their through Wilmington today on their way to the nation’s capital. These students are trying to make their dreams come true one step at a time.

Gaby Pacheco hasn’t seen her family since January 1. Pacheco’s not with them because she has a dream to become a United States citizen.

“There’s 2.3 million students like ourselves that grew up in this country and excel academically, are leaders within their community, and have contributed by doing a lot of community service,” Pacheco said.

In 1993, Pacheco’s parents came to the US from Ecuador. She was only seven years old. In 2006, federal immigration agents raided her home. Pacheco’s family has been fighting deportation ever since.

She and four other illegal immigrants are walking 1,500 miles from Miami to Washington, DC, hoping to put an end to deportation. They’ve already walked 1,000 miles gaining supporters along the way, but not everyone agrees with their fight.

“They don’t have the right to come here and milk the system,” Michael Johnson of Wilmington said. “They don’t have the right to be titled to anything. If they aren’t here legally, they shouldn’t be here in the first place.”

Johnson’s mother is not a natural born citizen. She applied for a visa 46 years ago, moved from Ireland to the US, earned her citizenship and has been here ever since. He says he supports people moving to the u-s for a better life as long as they do it the right way, like his mother did.

The dreamers will make their way to Raleigh and Charlotte before heading north to Washington. They hope to reach the nation’s capital by May 1.