Honor Mothers by Passing the DREAM Act

Kids of OR Immigrants Await their ‘DREAM’

It’s Mother’s Day weekend, and moms always want the best for their children. But, when the mom is an undocumented worker in Oregon, it may take an act of Congress to accomplish that. The children of Oregon’s undocumented workers say it’s not their fault they were raised in the U.S., and now, they feel they belong here. Some in Congress agree, and have resurrected the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. It gives temporary citizenship to teens and young adults who came here as kids, have lived in the States for at least five years, got high school educations, and are "of good moral character." continue reading the full story!

Listen to the audio story by linking here.

TAKE ACTION: PASS THE DREAM ACT NOW!

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"18"

Graham Street Productions is now in production on a full-length documentary entitled "Papers," a story about undocumented youth and the choices they must make as they become adults without legal status.

In "Papers" you will hear stories from young people whose parents took great risks to give their children a better life. Some of these young men and women arrived in the U.S. at nine months old, others at three or six years old. They are young people who were educated in American schools, hold American values, know only the U.S. as home, and who, by virtue of turning 18, will become criminals.

It's a moving story about coming of age, a human eye on the current immigration debate and a look at how the long-time custom of scape-goating continues to haunt America.

One creation, a three minute preview, entitled "18," was created by Jose Luis Juarez Perez, age 17 and the artist Droopy, age 18.

The story is about youth who were born in Mexico and raised in the United States. America is their home. Their parents are America's "illegal immigrants." As children they have immunity. At 18, they become "illegal." Coming of age should be a celebration. Not a criminal act.

If you like this video and want to support the "Papers" project, go to this video on YouTube by clicking here and give it 5 stars.

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The Truth About Immigrant Detentions

From our allies at FIRM:

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Organizations Voice Opposition to Legislation Detaining Immigrant Children

OVER 80 ORGANIZATIONS JOIN IN OPPOSITION TO LEGISLATION DETAINING IMMIGRANT CHILDREN

Contact: Christopher Spina
(202) 657-0677
(202) 674-2450 (mobile)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, in a letter to the House of Representatives, over 80 federal, state, and local organizations from across the nation expressed their strong opposition to the Secure America through Verification and Enforcement (SAVE) Act (H.R. 4088) of 2008, legislation that explicitly calls for the creation of a family detention facility that will result in the “incarceration” of immigrant children. The letter was spearheaded by First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization.

The SAVE Act disregards recommendations repeatedly made by Congress that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) should “release families or use alternatives to detention…whenever possible.” Instead, the SAVE Act encourages the practice of detaining innocent children who are often caught in the crossfire of U.S. immigration policy, holding them in facilities that resemble prisons instead of nurturing home environments.

Recently, the Act was subject to a discharge petition, a procedural maneuver which, if a simple majority 218 Representatives sign a petition in support of the bill, shall allow the legislation to bypass the committee process and be placed on the House floor for a vote, despite objections by House leadership. Currently, the petition has over 150 signatures. The Act was introduced by Reps. Heath Shuler (D-NC), Brian Bilbray (R-CA), and Tom Tancredo (R-CO).

“The outpouring of opposition to this bill should send one message to the House of Representatives – placing children in prison-like settings is not who we are as a nation and we will not sit idly by while legislation that would do so is slipped onto the House floor through procedural maneuvers,” said Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus. “The sad fact is this bill calls for the creation of a detention facility modeled after the controversial T. Don Hutto Family Residential Facility, which has been found to be an ‘inappropriate and disturbing setting’ to hold families. The inappropriate setting and inadequate living conditions of these facilities have led to poor childhood development, education, health care, and nutrition, as well as minimal time for recreational activity and threats of separation from parents. We hope this letter, supported by a broad cross section of organizations from across the nation, will convince many Members of Congress to oppose this ill-advised legislation."

The letter has been signed by 32 national organizations, including First Focus, National Council of La Raza, the National Education Association, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and the Episcopal Church. Moreover, over 50 state and local organizations from across the country also signed the letter.

View the Letter and Co-signers

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