Across the United States, more than half a million immigrants are protected from deportation under DACA, a program created for those brought to the U.S. as children. Though they can live and work legally, DACA recipients have no pathway to citizenship and remain in perpetual limbo. Faced with stalled political progress, legal uncertainty, and limited protections, some are now making the agonizing decision to self-deport.
American Dreamers: Self-Deporting From the U.S. is a digital documentary from The Recount that captures this overlooked chapter in America’s immigration story. The film centers on Sebastian and Montse, a couple who benefited from DACA but chose to leave the U.S. for Germany after years of uncertainty. Their decision, equal parts heartbreaking and empowering, offers a human window into what it means to outgrow a broken system.
Over the course of nearly a year, The Recount documented the couple’s journey. Through intimate access to family gatherings, candid conversations, and scenes with Sebastian’s undocumented parents, the documentary reveals the emotional toll of a decades-long political stalemate — and the quiet resilience of a community that has been let down by both media and government narratives.
This project exemplifies social justice reporting by foregrounding the voices of a marginalized group — undocumented immigrants and DACA recipients — whose stories are often told through narrow or outdated lenses. Rather than relying on the familiar framing of DREAMers as teenagers seeking college access, the film depicts them as adults confronting life-altering decisions and systemic abandonment. In doing so, it challenges long-held tropes and expands public understanding of what justice, belonging, and mobility mean for this community today.
Digitally optimized for wide engagement, the documentary has reached over 336,000 viewers since its November 2024 release. It has sparked conversation among scholars, advocates, and DACA recipients themselves, prompting a surge in outreach to “Onward,” a support group featured in the piece.
With rich storytelling that shines a light on systemic inequities, American Dreamers is a portrait of what happens when a country fails to deliver on its promises, and when immigrants recognize that a brighter future lies beyond U.S. borders.
