Anker predicted that over the next five to ten years, the changing demographics of the country will result in immigration legislation at last.

“We need a legalization program. We need a program that, in my mind, brings the whole undocumented population out of the shadows and on a path…to permanent status,” she said. “There’s a lot of opposition to that, and that opposition is rooted in a time and place of America that’s over.”

Other students, including Espino, said that they think the U.S. needs a better immigration process in general, not just for students. Some, who said that Mexican citizens, whose American family members can file a petition for them to receive permanent residency, expect to wait an average of 20 years for their case to be considered.

“I know a lot of people would immigrate legally if the process wasn’t so convoluted, so bureaucratic, so expensive,” Espino said. “If there was a more successful way to immigrate legally, it would go a long way towards solving the issue.”

Part of Congress’ hesitancy over the DREAM Act and broader immigration reform, Anker said, stems from the fact that many Americans are not very aware of the situation that most undocumented students are in.

“I think they aren’t aware of what a large population there is of very hardworking people who are just very much wanting to pursue the American dream, who will be incredible workers and citizens in the future,” she said. “The rhetoric of the last several years has been about ‘criminal aliens.’”

But some students who have long struggled against barriers for undocumented students—the emotional ones and the legal ones—think that DACA could be the stepping stone to a more permanent and more positive policy.

“Instead of demonizing the person, look at how messed up the law is, that so many people are having to do this,” Mary said. “I hope that DACA will lead the way to another step up.”

—Staff writer D. Simone Kovacs can be reached at dkovacs@college.harvard.edu.