BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. - While most teens her age are worried about prom and college plans, Gabriela Martinez, 16, has other pressing matters on her mind.
Her legal status is one. Her family's status is another.
"There's like tension. Is it going to be today that I'm going to know? The only thing that I hear is wait," said Gabriela, who monitors a government website daily to find out if immigration officials have determined her legal status.
Gabriela, her parents and her 19-year-old brother, Misael, are undocumented and natives of El Salvador, a country plagued by corruption, instability and gang violence.
Her father, Roberto Martinez, was the first to arrive to the United States back in 2000. He was able to obtain temporary protected status (TPS), which allowed him to work and live in the United States. After destructive earthquakes hit El Salvador, Roberto's wife, Mirna, and his two children joined him in Minnesota.
Earlier this week, the Trump administration announced that more than 200,000 people from El Salvador will no longer be protected by the TPS program. They have until February of 2019 to leave the United States.
"I want to stay. No matter what. I want to stay," said Roberto, who works a steady full-time job and owns the suburban home that his family lives in.
The only person who can legally stay is Roberto and Mirna's youngest son. Their 10-year-old boy was born in the United States. Does he stay or does he go?
"It's a very hard question," said Roberto. After a deep sigh, he said, "it's my son. No."
Roberto breathes in deeply.
"Staying here, who cares for my son? Someone can care like me?"
Despite Congress' inaction over DACA and the President's critical stance against immigrants, Roberto and his family are hopeful that someone in Washington DC will consider their situation and drop a lifeline.
"It's a matter of having faith," said Gabriela. "I hope that one day we will actually have the opportunity to persevere more and shine."