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Born in Canada, Leezia immigrated to the United States when she was only six years old. The realization of her undocumented status hit her during her junior year of college, a time when the safety net of DACA had not yet been cast.
In 2012, Leezia seized the opportunity by applying for and eventually receiving DACA. Through her perseverance and dedication, she became the press director at FWD.us, a bipartisan nonprofit dedicated to advocating for immigration and criminal justice reform.
Despite the relief DACA provided, the knowledge that it was merely a temporary solution loomed over her. With the support of FWD.us, Leezia embarked on a journey to explore avenues towards a more stable future. Consulting with an immigration attorney with expertise in employment-based visas, they discovered a glimmer of possibility: FWD.us could sponsor Leezia for an employment-based green card. When they finally received approval, it was nothing short of life-altering for Leezia. Since obtaining her green card, Leezia has finally been able to visit her family in Canada, bringing her immense relief. In her spare time, Leezia continues to advocate for employment-based options for other DACA recipients.
Damian Leon
Q: What employment-based immigration option did you qualify for? What educational and career qualifications did you have to be eligible for this option?
A: I filed a PERM employment based petition under category “Member of Profession w/Advanced Degree or of Exceptional Ability,” EB2. I was able to qualify due to having a Masters degree.
Q: How did you learn about this option? What concerns, if any, did you have about pursuing this option?
A: I started the conversation with my employer after I was put on leave due to my DACA renewal being delayed for a month. After receiving my DACA renewal, my employer offered to pursue an H1-B visa. I received guidance to reach out to an immigration attorney, who offered to speak with my employer’s attorney’s office and convinced them to obtain a green card instead since that was ideal for me.
Q: How long did the process take?
A: Approximately two years. I began conversations in February 2017 and received my green card in June 2019.
Q: What advice do you have for DACA recipients who are considering pursuing in employment-based options?
A: I highly encourage reaching out to an immigration attorney specializing in employment-based sponsorship. Depending on an applicant’s immigration background, they may be eligible for very specific pathways. My understanding is that many people might be able to qualify for a green card. Each case has its own nuances and therefore should have an experienced attorney reviewing to ensure you are pursuing the best path.
Secondly, I would encourage DACA recipients to reach out to their HR department to request written policies from the company regarding sponsorship. Communication I received from management upon hiring and official policy was inconsistent in my case. I may have been able to pursue the green card process earlier.
Q: How long did you have DACA prior to getting your green card?
A: Seven years. I applied for DACA in 2012 at its inception and still reapplied during the PERM process. DACA obtained for: 2012-2014, 2014-2016, 2016-2018, 2018-2020. Green card obtained in 2019.
Q: How has your life changed since getting your green card?
A: My life has changed drastically upon receiving my green card. Legally, I am able to travel freely. I will be eligible for citizenship soon. Unfortunately, I received my green card shortly after my grandmother’s passing so I was unable to visit her in time. I did however, travel with my family to pay our respects at the one-year anniversary of her death. Perhaps the biggest impact has been on my mental health. Given all of the uncertainty around DACA, obtaining my green card allowed me to have a moment of relief knowing I was no longer in limbo. Having a green card has also opened up many opportunities I had not explored. From working for the government, to being able to travel for business/pleasure. Before the green card, I remember there was a point where my job asked me to travel to Singapore and I had to turn it down. There are too many examples to write down but I still find so many everyday interactions/experiences that would have been very difficult or uncomfortable prior to having a green card.
Seung Eli Oh
Seung immigrated to the U.S. from South Korea at eleven years old and is a former DACA recipient. He has been a nurse for more than ten years and works at Stanford Healthcare as a critical care response nurse. Stanford Healthcare sponsored his green card application, which he received in 2018. He became a U.S. citizen in 2024.
“Following the crash of the Korean economy in 1998, my family came to the United States on a tourist visa with $300 in combined savings. We eventually overstayed our visa because our family did not qualify for any form of immigration relief, even though my father submitted family petitions on my behalf. I was shocked and found out I was potentially eligible for a green card through employment if I became a nurse, but I needed experience and a hospital to sponsor me.
DACA allowed me to work as a nurse, which in turn gave me the needed experience to eventually be sponsored by an employer and obtain a green card. I don’t think I truly knew what my options were until I received a legal consultation from a qualified immigration attorney. And I would have never considered some of those impossible options—like an employment-based visa or green card—without that screening.
You just never know what you can qualify for. I think people should get a consultation for immigration options because they don’t really know what their options are. And I don’t think I truly knew what my options were until I received that legal consultation.
The screening is what really helped in the whole process. I encourage DACA recipients to get a consultation with Path2Papers to explore whether they are eligible for employment-based immigration visas.”
Dan-el Padilla Peralta
Dan-el Padilla was born in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic and was brought to the United States as a child. Raised in New York, Dan-el attended a private school on the Upper West Side of Manhattan where he developed a profound interest in Classics. Motivated to study at the best Classics department in the country, Dan-el applied to and was accepted at Princeton University as an undocumented student.
Although his legal status did not hinder his studies, he knew it would become a problem when he prepared to study abroad at Oxford University; leaving the country would trigger a 10-year bar from re-entering the United States. Fortuitously, Dan-el’s thesis advisor recruited him to work on a special project, and Princeton agreed to hire and sponsor him for a part-time H-1B nonimmigrant visa. Working with immigration attorney Stephen Yale-Loehr, Dan-el applied for and succeeded in obtaining a waiver to return to the United States on an H-1B. Dan-el eventually obtained his green card through marriage.
Dan-el is currently an associate professor of classics at Princeton University.