July 4, 2115 - Geraldine Lopez, the last known so-called Dreamer, died of natural causes at age 108 in Virginia. She was the last of the so-called Dreamers, who signed up in a program set up by Barack Obama, President from 2009-2016. The program was intended to create a path to citizenship for children brought to the United States illegally by their parents, and who grew up in the US knowing no other country. Over the decades it has remained in effect due to a mutiplicity of court cases, decisions, edicts and appeals, but just for those who were in up to 2018. Republicans have used the issue over and over in campaigns, to motivate their dwindling, mostly white rural, base to show up at the polls. Over many, many campaigns, Republicans have cast the aging, and over recent decades diminishing in numbers, Dreamers as everything from dangerous terrorists to lazy moochers.  Most notably, Republicans cast Dreamers, who were never eligible for federal programs, as "abusing freeloaders", and the reason the Republicans, who controlled Congress and the Presidency those years, claimed they "had no choice" but to "reluctantly" end Medicaid and Medicare in 2038, and Social Security in 2040. 

Republicans have controlled enough votes in the Senate to block immigration reform legislation for the past century. As noted, court cases have kept Dreamers hopes alive all those years. Legal action in the last decade has almost ceased, as federal courts deal with other priorities and Dreamer numbers dropped into the scores or low hundreds. 

Interviewed in 2110, Geraldine had said that although she had paid taxes,and Social Security taxes up until it was ended, she always supported herself and never applied for aid from the government.  Even when her home in Norfolk was flooded and the city permanently abandoned due to sea level rise and the devastation of Hurricane Donald in 2055.

She had never given up hope and believed that Congress would pass the reform legislation, saying, "that's why they called us Dreamers".  Geraldine thought that all Dreamers, should receive citizenship, even if it was a posthumous gesture by Congress. She says she was always treated well during her career as an Emergency Medical Technician.

Republicans declined to comment on her passing on the record for this article. As recently as 2111, GOP Minority Leader Larson E. Cheetum (R-Kentucky) had said the caucus was still not there on any action which might finally seek resolution on this open wound which some call a "disgrace".  Cheetum, said "I support action even at this late date, but I cannot endorse any legislation being currently offered by my liberal colleagues."