The  Mexican Consulate in Fresno’s mobile consulate program visited Fresno City College Thursday. Stations were set up in the Old Administration Building to help qualified undocumented Mexican youth apply for work permits, and Mexican Passports and consulate IDs.

The workshop was designed to allow Mexican nationals to apply for passports and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

DACA was announced July 15 by President Barack Obama. It would allow undocumented immigrants who meet age and educational based criteria to file a two-year deferment request to the Department of Homeland Security to not be deported.

Applicants would have to have immigrated before turning 16 years old, currently be between the ages of 15-30 (there are some provisions for applicants under 15), resided in the U.S. for at least five years, have completed a high school diploma, GED, is currently enrolled in school, or completed military service. Applicants will be disqualified based on criminal records.

Sandra Duran from the Fresno’s Mexican Consulate said, “It’s not law. It doesn’t give you a path to citizenship,” but that it was for “keeping valuable kids that worked hard for their schooling.”

“They are not responsible for entering illegally. They were brought here as children and the decision was made for them.”

Duran said that applicants “should treat this as a scholarship- you have to show why you deserve this.”

She suggests applicants show “you were raised as one [a citizen], doing all the same activities as children that were [citizens].”

Undocumented immigrants from other countries will have to work with their native country’s consulate in other cities. Fresno only has a Mexican consulate.

Today an estimated 240 Mexican nationals were expected to use the services provided. Duran said the applications were completed and processed on site, the information was added to a database along with biometrics such as photos and fingerprints. Mexican passports and visas were then issued.

Former FCC student, Roxana Chavez received a work visa today, “It’s a big opportunity to get a job and go to a good school.”

While at FCC, Chavez was an education major but had to leave school due to expenses.

She is currently works packing produce, but hopes to get a job “doing something else. Something less painful.”

Chavez, now 20, was 10 years old when her family moved to Fresno.

Others were reluctant to speak except on the condition of anonymity such as a 19 year old from Avenal, Calif. A mechanical engineering major at West Hills College, he was 8 years old when his family moved to Avenal. He came today to apply for a work permit. Currently doing field-work, he said a permit would allow him “to get a better job now. I won’t have to work out in the sun.”
** Corrections**
Earlier versions of this article stated the Mexican Consulate was issueing visas. Visas are issued by the country being traveled to.