New Delhi-born Pratishtha Khanna, who came to the U.S. illegally at the age of 10, is one of the 10 “Champions of Change” honoured by the White House for their exemplary leadership in their communities.
All the 10 honoured on Tuesday were beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival programme initiated by President Barack Obama in 2012.
The programme requires the U.S. immigration authorities to defer removal action for certain undocumented young people who came to the U.S. as children and have pursued education or military service here. They are also often referred to as “DREAMers” as most of them meet the general requirements of the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act.
Ms. Khanna, from Laurel, Maryland, is a senior at the University of Maryland. After graduation, she will work as an emergency room medical scribe and pursue a Certified Nursing Assistant Programme at Howard Community College.
