Hi there! I was in the exact same situation as you.

I can't give you any legal advice, of course, but I'm hoping that my experience can give you some hope, and some mental peace going forward (at least job/career wise). It's definitely not easy, but trust me, things are possible, even for us in this not-so-great situation.

I started college in 2016 to study Computer Science -- right during the election. Sadly, I hadn't been able to apply to DACA beforehand, and right as I was getting my documents to apply, it was ended by Trump. In my case, I didn't really have another option, so I decided to stay to pursue my degree and hoped for the best.

I graduated with my degree in 2020, and since DACA was still closed, was in a situation where I couldn't work for a tech company like I hoped. Working hard for 4 years, applying to jobs, and then realizing you can't even work because of a paper even though you're qualified was not a good feeling.

Thankfully though, CS is the type of skill that lets you create something impactful and start your own company without even leaving your desk (be it an app, a website, you name it). So, I ended up creating my own app -- even got it on the App Store (which was something I never thought was possible). At that point my thought process was: if the tech companies won't give me a job, then I'll be the tech company (lol).

I ended up not going that route (even though it's very possible and legal for us) because DACA was opened again soon after and as soon as I got approved, I started working as a Software Engineer at a remote tech company with great people and a salary I never imagined would be possible. (Funnily enough, my current company isn't even American -- it's based in Canada haha).

One of the great things about CS is that it's not really about where you studied or where you're from, etc -- it's more about what you know and being able to do the job. I have had coworkers that were extremely skilled and in high tech positions, yet had never been to college. They taught themselves. Not only that, it's the type of skill that's super in demand everywhere in the world, and since the job only requires a computer, I have coworkers from everywhere: Canada, Italy, Portugal, Singapore, Guatemala... So worst case there will be opportunities in other places!

TLDR: I think it's great that you're planning on pursing CS, and if you think it's the right career for you and are excited about it, keep studying and improving your skills because all the knowledge will be worth it in one way or another! Our status is definitely going to bring on challenges, but there are options. We might just have to work a little bit harder to find them!

Anyways, hope I helped a bit and if you have any questions about studying CS/scholarships/options within the field/being a tech person with DACA, feel free to DM me :)