2017 DACA Protection and DREAM Act Campaign

Following the 22 day White House action to defend DACA and TPS, KRC is launching a new stage in the push for the hopes and dreams of millions of immigrant young people and their families. Please join us as we raise awareness in communities throughout Orange County and pressure Congressmember and Senators to indicate interest in supporting the DREAM Act! 

Join our action tomorrow!

Southern California Educators, Students, & Families Demand Senator Feinstein Pass the DREAM Act By Any Means Necessary

Alongside Southern California educators, students, and families, the Korean Resource Center and partners will lead a rally and protest to urge Senator Dianne Feinstein to pass a clean DREAM Act by any means necessary and attach it to a continuing resolution before the end of 2017. Dressed in black, demonstrators will explain why not passing a DREAM Act before the holidays begin will result in an ongoing nationwide emergency that will continue to separate families through deportation and detention and bring harm to millions of lives across the country unless a legislative solution in the form of a clean DREAM Act is passed.

If you have any questions, please contact:
Lucy Ngo (English), 714-618-3819, lucy [at] lns-krc.org
Carlos Perea (Spanish), Reslience OC, 714-605-6666

Call Senator Feinstein

Hello, is this Senator Feinstein’s office?

My name is (NAME) and I live at (ADDRESS). I’m calling to urge Senator Feinstein to not vote on any version of a spending bill if a Clean Dream Act is not attached to it. She has the ability to protect 2.1 million immigrant youth and young adults from being separated from their families. Her leadership is necessary to ensure that we can pass a Clean Dream Act before the end of this year. Please defend your community and be on the right side of history.

Email/Fax Senator Feinstein

Dear Senator Feinstein,

My name is (NAME) and I live at (ADDRESS). I’m writing to urge you to not vote on any version of a spending bill if a Clean Dream Act is not attached to it. You have the ability to protect 2.1 million immigrant youth and young adults from being separated from their families. Your leadership is necessary to ensure that we can pass a Clean Dream Act before the end of this year. Please defend your community and be on the right side of history.

Sincerely,
(NAME)

Senator Feinstein Contact
LA Office Phone: (310) 914-7300 
LA Office Fax: (310) 914-7318 
Click here to email Senator Feinstein now.
Click here for other office contacts.

Call your Congressmember

Recommended Script:

My name is ____, and I am one of your constituents. I am calling to express my discontent with the White House’s decision to end DACA and ask Senator/Representative ______ to support legislative action that will protect immigrants affected by the termination of DACA. Eight hundred thousand lives are affected because of the president’s decision to end DACA, and now it is time for Congress to pass a law that would provide a pathway to citizenship for this group of immigrants. Does Senator/Representative _____ currently support the Dream Act or Hope Act? Please make the right decision by co-sponsoring the DREAM act for the future of the America because these young people are the future of the America. Thank you for your hard work answering the phones.

[IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied]

Contact information below or Click here to find your representative.

Ed Royce
District office: T (714) 255-0101 | (909) 420-0010
LA office: T (626) 964-5123
DC office: T (202) 225-4111

Mimi Walters
Irvine Office: 949-263-8703
DC office: 202-225-5611
 

Phone Banking to Voters

Join us in calling voters asking them to send postcards to their legislators! Join us at these locations:

Calling Korean speaking voters:
Mondays through Thursdays 4:30-8:30 pm at KRC's Crenshaw Office starting October 2nd.

Calling English speaking Asian American voters:
Saturdays 11am-3pm at KRC's Crenshaw Office starting  September 30th
Afternoons at KRC's Buena Park Office

Contact Nara [at] krcla.org to get involved.

Community Planning Meetings

Join us in planning meetings for the community. We will be announcing place and time soon.

What is the DREAM Act?

The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act) is bipartisan legislation that addresses the situation faced by young people who were brought to the U.S. years ago as undocumented immigrant children, but who have since grown up and attended school in the United States. It provides a path for citizenship to young undocumented immigrants who meet certain criteria.

Qualifications

To qualify for immigration relief under the DREAM Act, a student must:

• have been brought to the U.S. more than 5 years ago when she was 17 years old or younger,
• have resided in the U.S. for at least 5 years prior to the bill’s enactment,
• be continuously physically present in the U.S. for at least 4 years before the date of the bill’s enactment,
• be admitted to an institution of higher education; or earned a high school diploma or commensurate alternative award from a public or private high school, or obtained a GED certificate; or enrolled in a secondary or in an education program assisting students in getting a regular high school diploma, recognized equivalent, or GED
• and must be able to demonstrate good moral character.

Under the DREAM Act, once such a student graduates from high school, he or she would be permitted to apply for conditional status which would authorize up to 8 years of legal residence. During the 8-year period, the student would be required to graduate from a 2-year college, complete at least 2 years towards a 4-year degree. Permanent residence would be granted at the end of the 8-year period if these requirements have been met and if the student has continued to maintain good moral character. The DREAM Act also eliminates a federal provision that discourages states from providing instate tuition to their undocumented immigrant student residents, thus restoring full authority to the states to determine state college and university fees.

Why is the DREAM Act needed?

Each year about 65,000 U.S.-raised students who would qualify for the DREAM Act graduate from high school. These include honor roll students, star athletes, talented artists, homecoming queens, and aspiring teachers, doctors, and U.S. soldiers. They are young people who have lived in the United States for most of their lives and desire only to call this country their home. Even though they were brought to the United States years ago as children, they face unique barriers to higher education, are unable to work legally in the U.S., and must live in constant fear of detection by immigration authorities.

Our immigration law currently has no mechanism to consider the special equities and circumstances of such students. The DREAM Act would eliminate this flaw. It is un-American to indefinitely and irremediably punish them for decisions made by adults many years ago. By enacting the DREAM Act Congress would legally recognize what is de facto true: these young people belong here.

These students cannot wait until Congress solves all of the problems of our broken immigration system. If Congress fails to act this year, another entire class of outstanding, law-abiding high school students will graduate without being able to plan for the future, and some will be removed from their homes to countries they barely know. This tragedy will cause America to lose a vital asset ?and educated class of promising immigrant students who have demonstrated a commitment to hard work and a strong desire to be contributing membs of our society.

History

The bill was first introduced in the Senate on August 1, 2001, S. 1291 by United States Senators Dick Durbin (D- Illinois) and Orrin Hatch (R- Utah), and has since been reintroduced several times. In December 2010, the DREAM Act passed in the House but failed to pass in the Senate. KRC and ally organizations have been committed to the DREAM Act and involved in over 17 years of campaign work to educate the public and advocate the protection of young people.

Deferred Action

After repeated failures by congress to pass the bill, in 2012 President Obama introduced Deferred Action for Chidlhood Arrivals (DACA), a temporary executive measure to provide relief to dreamers, with criteria similar to the DREAM Act but most importantly without providing a legal status (which would not be possible as an executive measure).

Further Reading

• Side by Side: Provisions of the 2010 and 2017 Dream Acts and DACA by NILC