Faces of Dreamers: Josh Boloña and Karen Caudillo, University of Central Florida

This is one in a series of posts on individual Dreamers, undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as young children, many of whom are under threat of deportation following the Trump administration’s decision in September 2017 to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, or DACA.

When University of Central Florida students cast their ballots for student government president earlier this month, they chose between two Dreamers, industrial engineering student Josh Boloña and Karen Caudillo, who is majoring in international relations.

Boloña campaigned on improving campus security and mental health services, and Caudillo cited campus security as a campaign issue, as well, and was pushing for a greener campus, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Boloña, who plans to finish his degree next year, was born in Ecuador and arrived in Florida when he was 6. Now 21, he says he’s open about his situation.

“If they find out my status, I’m not going to hide that,” he said, adding, “I wanted to humanize it as much as possible.”

Caudillo, 22, a native of Mexico who came to the U.S. at age four, also is the owner of an organic cleaning business and expects to graduate next spring.

In the end, Boloña won the election.

To read more, click here and here.