LOS ANGELES — He’s a senior at Cal State Northridge, as well as an actor and model, but Jesus Villegas fears his dreams could be beyond reach unless he can continue living legally in the U.S.

"I was born in Torreón, Coahuila, México," he said. "I came when I was 6 years old."

Villegas is undocumented but protected from deportation under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. DACA is a program that allows him to work legally in the U.S. It's also constantly being challenged.

“DACA is always in Congress, always is being talked about, and that ability to continue to sustain myself financially through a traditional route can be taken away from me,” Villegas said.

One of Villegas' jobs is at the Dream Center, which provides resources and services to undocumented students at Cal State Northridge. A recent $150,000 gift from nonprofit The Change Reaction created an “Angel Fund” at the university’s Dream Center to help students like Villegas cover the cost of renewing their DACA status. It’s $495 he has to pay every two years.

It's money that "can go toward basic living expenses or maybe some books," said Villegas. "Books are ridiculous."

Daniela Barcenas, manager of the Dream Center, says she frequently sees students come in when the renewal is due, asking for help.

It's "a lot of money, especially for students who are working most of the time, part-time, and even if they are working full-time, their money has to go somewhere else," said Barcenas.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding DACA, Villegas says he's "excited to see what the world has in store for me."