Workshops Will Help DREAMers Fill Out Applications
DREAMers can start applying for Deferred Action relief starting Aug. 15th. To help DREAMers with their applications, events are being held nationwide, many held by members of the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM).
Up to 1.7 million unauthorized immigrants ages 30 and under who arrived in the U.S. as children could potentially qualify for a new Obama administration program that goes into effect tomorrow that would shield them from deportation for two years and enable them to apply for temporary but renewable work permits, according to updated estimates from the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center.
The report, «Up to 1.7 Million Unauthorized Immigrant Youth May Benefit from New Deportation Rules,» authored by Jeffrey S. Passel, senior demographer, Pew Hispanic Center and Mark Hugo Lopez, associate director, Pew Hispanic Center, is available at the Pew Hispanic Center’s website, www.pewhispanic.org.
Here is a list of tomorrow’s events nationwide.
Illinois: The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights will assist DREAMers in the application process. On hand to talk about Deferred Action will be: Sen. Dick Durbin, Rep. Luis Gutierrez and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The event is being held at the Navy Pier in Chicago, Grand Ballroom. Contact: Monica Trevino at (312) 344-2239.
California:
**The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) will help applicants process their paperwork and have a blessing of the “caps and gowns.” Sen. Barbara Boxer, Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, Rep. Judy Chu and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa are scheduled to attend. The event starts at 9 a.m. PDT at the CHIRLA office in Los Angeles. Contact: Jorge-Mario Cabrera, (562) 243-5559.
**The Santa Clara County Deferred Action Network will host a news conference followed by informational sessions and application guidance starting at 10 a.m. PDT at the Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County Headquarters in San Jose. Rep. Mike Honda will be in attendance. Contact: Mark Nakamoto, (408) 558-8085 or (408) 204-0772.
**The Korean Resource Center, an affiliated of the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), is sponsoring a Deferred Action workshop from 1p to 4p in Los Angeles on Aug. 16, 17 and 18. Contact: Keish Kim at [email protected] or Yaechan Lee at [email protected].
Maryland:
**The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will join CASA de Maryland and DREAMers at a mass Deferred Action application clinic being held at CASA’s multicultural center in Langley Park. The clinic will start at 5:30 p.m. Contact: Susana Flores, (240) 706-2624.
New York:
**The New York Immigration Coalition will hold a press conference and group workshop to begin the application process for deferred action for several hundred DREAMers. Rep. Yvetee Clarke, Secretary of State Cesar Perales and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn are scheduled to attend. The event is being held at St. Mary’s Church in Manhattan between 12:00pm and 6:00pm. Contact: (413)-687-5160.
**Make the Road New York will have a public event in Queens, and a series of events to follow. NYIC will begin the application process with a public event at St. Mary’s Church in Manhattan between 12:00pm and 6:00pm.
**OWN the DREAM will hold a news conference in Long Island City and will host a free legal clinic and community forum from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Arizona:
**Promise Arizona (PAZ) is holding a Deferred Action informational session in Phoenix from 6p to 8p. Contact: (602) 910-2304.
Oregon:
CAUSA will help process the first DREAM Deferred Actions starting at 8 a.m. at the USCIS office in Portland. Contact: Erik Sorensen, (503) 488-0263.
New Mexico:
**El Centro, beginning Aug. 17th, will begin handing out informative packages and orientation.
Massachusetts:
**The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) will hold free community forums at various locations in the state. Contact: (617) 350-5480.
Washington state:
**One America will have a press conference at Seattle Central Community College at 11 a.m. One America is also hosting four other informational events in Vancouver, Yakima, Tri-city, and Mount Vernon.
Alabama:
**The Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice Will hold an informational workshop in Birmingham.
Nevada:
**The Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN) will hold a press conference in Reno in August 15th announcing the beginning of the application process. Contact: Mario Dela Rosa or Rosa Molina at (775) 348-7557.
Wisconsin:
**Youth Empowered in the Struggle (YES!), the youth Arm of Voces de la Frontera, will hold a press conference on at 1p.m. at the state Capitol steps in Madison. Forums to inform the community about the application process on a step by step process with attorneys are set for August 19 in Milwaukee and Aug. 21 in Racine.
Michigan:
**The Alliance for Immigrants Rights (AIR) will hold workshops in Detroit, Lansing and Kalamazoo.
Colorado:
**The Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition and members are hosting a press conference to launch dozens of information and registration sessions across Colorado in the months of August and September. Contact: (303) 922-3344.
Idaho:
**The Idaho Community Action Network (ICAN) will a news conference with DREAMers and local leaders starting at 6:30 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., ICAN is holding educational workshops and signing people up for DREAM days (days dedicated to filling out applications). Contact: Fernando Mejia-Ledesma, (208) 830-0313.
Kansas:
**Sunflower Community Action will hold a news conference at 1 p.m. in Wichita.
Links: http://www.weownthedream.org/
Seize the Dream Now! – ¡Atrapa tu Sueño Ahora!
