WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Karen Salinas came to the United States from Mexico illegally at age 7. She knows her parents did not make that decision lightly. 

"I remember walking in the desert as a 7 year old for three days to get here, which is a decision that my parents did not make lightly. They did it to offer me a better future, and I see it as a platform," she says. 

Salinas is a recipient of DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a landmark initiative for the Obama administration and something the Trump administration has threatened.

That reality made the 2020 election season especially emotional. 

"I've been feeling a little stressed, a little anxious, and uncertain about my future," she says. 

As of now, DACA recipients have to reapply for their status each year. That application is accompanied by fees totaling close to $500.

"To a lot of families, it can be impossible to come up with. At the end of the day it doesn't even guarantee that we are going to be approved," Salinas explains.

In order to be as financially independent as possible, she works as a professional photographer, but ultimately Salinas just wants to be treated the same as others her age. She used to work for a corporate company, but because her status isn't guaranteed, she says she always felt fearful that if the government declined her renewal, she could lose her job. 

According to her, this is a fear many other DACA recipeints have.

"As DACA recipients, we're just as American as everyone else. We're your neighbors, your friends, we blend right in with everyone, but we live with a fear that not everyone lives with," she says. 

However, as Salinas watched the election results come in, she felt somewhat encouraged.

"I felt a little more hopeful and secure, but there's still no guarantee," she says.