E-advocacy for October 2017—Protect DREAMers from Deportation
Since the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, people have come to American shores seeking a better life for themselves and their children. Don’t let the Trump administration deport people from the only home they have known.
There are over 800,000 “DREAMers”* in the United States, undocumented immigrants who arrived here as children and were raised in this country. In June 2012, the Obama administration created Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”). This program enables these children and adults to live openly, work legally in the US, and contribute to their communities without getting deported. Over the last 5 years, DACA has drastically changed the lives of undocumented immigrants; they were able to get a job with better pay and pursue educational opportunities they previously couldn’t obtain.
However, on September 5, 2017, the Trump Administration announced that it was rescinding the DACA program. Those currently covered by this program will start to lose their protection and work permits on March 6, 2018, putting them at risk for deportation and detention. It is up to Congress to protect the DREAMers, undocumented through no fault of their own.
The bipartisan DREAM Act of 2017 (S.1615/H.R.3440) would do just that. It grants current DACA recipients conditional permanent residence (CPR) status that would last for 8 years and also provide a work authorization. After maintaining CPR status for 8 years, DREAMers can apply for Legal Permanent Residency (LPR—i.e. “green card” status) if they have worked over a total period of 3 years, completed at least 2 years of higher education, or served in the military. After maintaining LPR status for 5 years, DREAMers will be able to apply for citizenship.As Jews, we are commanded to protect the strangers in our land (Leviticus 19:33-34). Click here to urge Congress to pass the Dream Act now, without including additional enforcement measures.
*The acronym “DREAMer” comes from the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act.
Did you know?
CRS’s Lunch Together will be meeting on Tuesday, October 10th to hear from Ms. Angela Fernandez, Esq., Executive Director of the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights (NMCIR), as she presents Defending DACA. Click here to learn more; or RSVP to lunchtogether@crsnyc.org, or call 646-454-3067.
