Join the Dreamers

Watch the video and join with Presente! and advocate for immigrant youth in detention.

Earlier this week President Obama gave a major speech in El Paso, Texas, where he renewed his commitment to immigration reform.

That’s great news, and we’re ready to continue fighting to make immigration reform and the DREAM Act a reality. But the truth is that there are thousands of young people facing the threat of deportation right now–including University of Texas student Raul Zamora, who hopes to be an architect but first must survive his May 26 deportation hearing.

The President has the power to make sure thousands of young men and women like Raul don’t have to worry about deportation. He can issue an Executive Order that would stop the deportation of DREAMers until we get this critical legislation passed. And if he’s serious about immigration reform, that’s exactly what he should do.

In this critical time following his speech, the media will look to see how the public reacts. If we can show that thousands of us are demanding action right now, we can make a real impact on the public debate around the DREAM Act and help save thousands of amazing students from being forced from the only country they know as home. Can you click below to automatically sign this petition asking President Obama to use his executive authority to stop the deportations of DREAMers? Click here:

http://act.presente.org/go/285?akid=353.187068.B1dvZI&t=5

Sadly, Raul’s story is not unique. In Texas alone, there is Benita Veliz who came to the United States from Mexico when she was eight years old, graduated as the valedictorian of her high school, and is now in removal proceedings. Mario Perez came to this country when he was five and now studies math and statistics as he fights his deportation order.

DREAMers like these across the country have asked the President to use his executive authority to stop their deportations. Unfortunately, despite the advice of legal scholars¹ and calls from members of his own party², the President has refused to halt the deportations of young people like Raul, Benita and Mario.

The longer he waits to take action, the more young people will be deported. They need our help and we need to pressure the Obama administration to grant executive relief for them.

Please join us and ask your friends and family to do the same.

http://act.presente.org/go/285?akid=353.187068.B1dvZI&t=7

References

1. “Legal Experts Weigh in on Executive Branch Authority,” Immigration Policy Center, 4-29-11
http://act.presente.org/go/283?akid=353.187068.B1dvZI&t=9

2. “Twenty-Two Senators Ask Obama to Stop Deporting DREAMers,” Colorlines.com, 4-11-11
http://act.presente.org/go/284?akid=353.187068.B1dvZI&t=11

“Martin didn’t make the movement, the movement made Martin.”

As Ella Baker, the civil rights organizer, famously said of Martin Luther King, “Martin didn’t make the movement, the movement made Martin.”
 
Dear All – I found this article on Truthout and I wanted to share it with all of you because I feel it captures the energy in this new “Obama” moment well.
 
It highlights the the incredible importance of having our first President of color as well as the incredible potential in what Obama has promised on the campaign trail. It also notes that the fullest realization of those promises are not dependent on Obama alone but require for each of us to pay attention, advocate, and demand that Obama and his administration follow through on what they named as their priorities.
 
We sit at a unique crossroads in our history; the economy, international relationships, environment, and human rights practices are at all time lows, each in differing states of severe disrepair. What Obama faces is monumental – what we face as a nation and as a world is monumental, historic, and vastly critical for the well being of earth and all of creation.
 
In this season of expectant waiting it feels the perfect time to stop and reflect on the deep dreams of this “Obama moment” as well as the deep needs of the world and begin to imagine the way forward. A way marked not by one man or one position of power but shaped by the many voices, hands, visions, and dreams that make up the whole.  Peace Liz
 
http://www.truthout.org/120208A

 
–
Elizabeth Deligio
FSPA JPICC Coordinator
8th Day Center f orJustice
205 W. Monroe Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 641-5151