United We DREAM, a network of youth-led organizations across the country, joined by its partners and allies, will lead a massive national campaign to help thousands of aspiring Americans brought to this country as children take advantage of the opportunity to apply for deferred action and work permits.
The campaign will join the resources of United We Dream and its partners to offer assistance to a significant number of the hundreds of thousands of DREAMers eligible for this opportunity to stay inAmerica to complete their education and contribute to the economy.
“Since the President’s announcement of this program we have been working around the clock to build a solid and massive infrastructure to ensure that DREAMers and our entire communities have accurate information and trusted assistance to apply for Deferred Action,” said Cristina Jimenez, managing director of United We Dream. “Dreamers, along with leaders in the labor movement, communities of faith, education and community service, have come together to deliver this victory to our communities. We are ready to Own the Dream!”
It continues with a Day of Action on August 15th for DREAMers to present the first applications for submission under the new guidelines to the USCIS, and a series of Application Center Events across the nation to assist DREAMers in completing their applications, offering each applicant essential legal advice from attorneys on site and a website to facilitate the application process. The first of these Application center events takes place at sites nationwide on August 25th. In addition United We Dream, will continue its community forums and establish a legal website to continue educating DREAMers about deferred action.
«This process, while generous, has no appeal and requires that you reveal yourself to the government,” said Crystal Williams, executive director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. “So it is important that you get good legal advice from a licensed attorney or accredited representative.»
United We Dream, joined by partners and allies, is working to ensure that there is a national and local infrastructure that supports DREAMers in applying for deferred action. The national campaign launching on Tuesday will offer assistance to DREAMers and their families, as well as the larger immigrant community, so they can benefit from deferred action and protect potential beneficiaries from fraud by those seeking to take advantage of the immigrant community.
“We are proud to join the United We Dream Network and other DREAM activists in launching this critical campaign,” said Don Lyster, DC director of the National Immigration Law Center. “The National Immigration Law Center, along with our Own the Dream partners at AILA, CLINIC, NLG-NIP and other organizations, are developing a comprehensive strategy, including a centralized website and a toll-free national hotline in multiple languages, to ensure affordable, high quality legal services for as many DREAMers as possible.”
Partners joining United We Dream in this effort include:
National Immigration Law Center, American Immigration Lawyers Association, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, National Council of La Raza, Asian Pacific American Legal Center, America’s Voice Education Fund, National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, American Immigration Council, Immigration Advocates Network, Asian American Justice Center, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, PICO National Network, Mi Familia Vota, Presente.org, Farmworker Justice, Service Employees International Union, and AFL-CIO.
