Front line workers face an uncertain future ahead of Supreme Court DACA ruling

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The battle against COVID-19 is not the only challenge Cesar Andrade faces as a frontline physician.

His future and medical career are on the line as the Supreme Court is set to decide the legality of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA.

"We worry about our families and want to make sure they are safe but then I also have to think about what would happen if DACA is taken away, "said Cesar Andrade, a physician at a New York City hospital.

The Obama-era program introduced in 2012, benefits over 600,000 recipients allowing them to live and work legally in the United States.

"DACA recipients are deeply embedded in our communities, in our economy, labor force and we are seeing their impact to a much larger extent in the middle of this pandemic, "said Daniela Alulema, Program Director at the Center for Migration Studies.

According to the Center for Migration Studies, approximately 43,500 DACA recipients work in the health care and social assistance industries.

For DACA recipients like Cesar Andrade, who are on the front lines of the pandemic, the upcoming Supreme Court decision will decide their future and their ability to continue doing their life-saving work in the United States.

"All frontline workers are sacrificing so much to take care of this country and make sure that people are safe. If DACA is taken away we can lose many essential workers at this critical time," said Andrade.

----------

Contact Community Journalist Miguel Amaya

Submit a tip to Miguel

Follow Miguel on Facebook

Follow @Miguelabc7NY on Twitter

Follow @Miguelabc7NY on Instagram

INTERACTIVE: What we know about COVID-19 - US map, prevention, cases