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Progress often sustains hope. The motivation to advocate for immigration reform is fueled by the incremental, but significant, policy advances and victories achieved by those tirelessly working on this effort.
One major example is the new guidelines recently announced by President Obama that would provide relief to DREAMers who meet certain criteria. On Wednesday, August 15th, those who qualify will be eligible to apply for deferred action and a work permit under these new guidelines. Ultimately, 1.4 million people could benefit from the new policy. This represents real progress and renews hope that comprehensive immigration reform remains a viable goal for Christians and others concerned about the dignity of all people, regardless of their immigration status.
Pastors and other community advocates will likely get questions from people trying to understand these developments. Here’s a quick primer with all the details about the announcement and implementation of the new policy:
What exactly is the announcement?
The Obama Administration announced a policy that defers immigration enforcement action against young people who meet certain criteria AND makes those young people eligible for work permits. This is NOT a change in U.S. immigration law or amnesty. Rather, it is an exercise of the President’s administrative authority.
Who Benefits?
To receive relief, individuals must meet the following criteria:
- Arrived to the United States before the age of sixteen
- Continuously resided within the U.S. for at least five years prior to June 15, 2012
- Currently in school, have graduated from high school, have obtained a general education development certificate (GED), or is an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or armed forces of the U.S.
- Has not been convicted of a felony or significant misdemeanor. Does not pose a threat to public safety or national security.
- Not over the age of 30
- Who and Where the DREAMers Are
- Who Qualifies for President Obama's Deferred Action Program for Undocumented Youth?
- Don’t Jump to Conclusions About Costs of Deferred Action
- Dreamers 101: A checklist to prepare for deferred action
- Getting Ready for Deferred Action: Avoid Fraud
- For legal and processing help, visit Deferred Action for DREAMers.
- For the latest details on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Process (DREAMer relief), visit the USCIS website HERE.
Mariella Saavedra: Five Ways You Can Help DREAMers Find ReliefChurches and religious leaders have played an integral role in helping to secure our DREAMer relief. Now, we must work together to ensure that our recent victory is put into action. In an era when it is increasingly difficult to know whom to trust on issues surrounding immigration, faith communities continue to be a safe space and a trusted voice.
Maryada Vallet: How Do You Call the Cops on the Cops? Sobering Accounts of Abuse by Border PatrolWhat would you do if you were offering a voluntary service, like medical or pastoral care to a vulnerable population, and the clients repeatedly spoke of abuses by a specific perpetrator? You would be a “mandated reporter,” which for the caring professions means you must report certain cases of abuse to authorities. But then you find out that federal employees—law enforcement, in fact—are committing the atrocities. How do you call the cops on the cops?
Rev. Angie Wright: No Turning Back: Alabama Anti-Immigrant Laws Unite OppositionWe lost a bitter legislative battle this year, as Alabama Legislators voted to make the nation's most toxic anti-immigrant law more poisonous than anyone imagined … The Republican legislators (and they were all Republicans) must have laughed all the way to golf games waiting for them back in their districts. They think they won … Little do they know that they have created their own worst nightmare … There are relics in the Legislature who may choose to stand in the State House door, staving off change as long as they can, and they'll end up right where George Wallace did — with the door of history slammed in their faces.
Undocumented Immigrants Won't Be Deported Based On Deferred Action Applications, Administration Says"The goal of this process is to identify this population that the secretary has determined just doesn't make any sense to spend removal resources on," the official continued. "We recognize that if you don't have a strong statement of confidentiality that there could be a chilling effect on those individuals coming forward, which would frustrate the overall goal of the program."
Civil rights groups seek new injunction against Arizona immigration lawRecently, a coalition of civil rights organizations has filed a motion in federal court seeking to block section 2 (b) of the Arizona law that requires officers to make immigration checks while enforcing other laws if "reasonable suspicion" of illegal immigration exists.
And while some officials seek positive solutions to deal with a pressing issue that affects us all at different levels – in our homes, work places, communities, places of worship, etc. – other’s extreme views and practices are questioned. Recently, Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his office have made the news on a number of occasions. They were on trial in a federal class-action lawsuit for their discriminatory practices during policing operations. Accusations included the singling out of Latinos through traffic stops that led to extensive questioning and detention of undocumented immigrants.
- Racial profiling trial begins for Ariz. sheriff
- In Arpaio’s Arizona, They Fought Back
- When a Taste for Publicity Bites Back
A Bus Ride to Show the Cracks in ImmigrationA group of courageous undocumented workers, students, and families, in collaboration with the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), have launched the Ride for Justice bus tour. Their goal is to educate the public and engage decision makers by telling powerful stories and shining light on unjust attacks against immigrants.
Youth activists infiltrate Florida immigrant detention center, find people wrongly heldA number of young activists with the National Immigrant Youth Alliance (NIYA) intentionally placed themselves in deportation proceedings in order to enter the Broward Detention Center in Florida. While detained, they say they found scores of detainees who should not be held under the Obama administration's revised deportation policies.
Check out this month’s resources designed to help raise awareness on a number of issues related to immigration.
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