Migrant Headlines

Race

2011-07-05T07:33:00.000-07:00

About three weeks ago I found myself puzzled as I finished answering an evaluation after attending an event. As I came across the question of "What is your race?" I was stopped on my tracks suddenly. My choices were White, Black, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American or Other.
Not being able to answer any of those choices, I am Mexican. My father was light skinned and my mother is brown skin. But yet my brain could not conjecture a picture of me as any of those choices above, all I could think of was "but I'm brown and that is not a choice". So, at the risk of being thought of as ignorant or plain irrational I left the question blank.

On my way to work, though, it suddenly hit me that this terminology about race and illegal is something the majority uses as a way to control and manipulate any discussion about some form of equality.

Being foreign born, my brain does not simply separate people based on color. Yes, we have social classes in Mexico but not, we don't think some of us are more Mexican than others. When I think of Raza as some nativist condemn the word as being racially inflamatory, I think of family and people I relate to but never implying we are better than others.

Illegal is another term that implies an action. Smoking is illegal, drinking while driving is illegal. The fact of "being" is not. How can someone be characterized and defined as such simply by being. This is not fair especially for DREAMers, who the majority of them had not direct responsibility for being or growing up here and thus would not qualify under the term illegal, since it seems to convey a direct action or behavior.

All in all, let's not forget we are talking about quantifying, categorizing and labeling human beings. If history serves us right, doing this only leads to bad consequences.

So, next time someone uses a word loosely such as race or illegal, ask them what they mean? And demand to be explained in detail why are they defining someone as such.

Spread the word about dropping the I and the R words.

21 years and nothing

2011-03-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

When I first met Mario, he was barely walking. His parents had arrived from Mexico about a year before I met them, joining his father's siblings and mother. At last, Mario's family was finally reunited once again. Mario's uncle and I were taking GED classes at a junior college. His uncle has been a great friend and confidant during all these years. For reasons of destiny, if I may call this, my friend, Mario's uncle relocated to Europe, only to experience the immigrant's nightmare all over again with a foreigner's accent.

I took the GED examination and enrolled in ESL classes at the same junior college. Mario started attending pre-k at a local elementary school. At first glance, one could see that Mario was an inquisitive and remarkably intelligent boy. He was a loner, but his isolation often led to find out things for himself and questioning how things worked. He also enjoyed reading a lot.
I then enrolled in college credit classes. I started to get worried, because back then, I didn't have a social security number and my concern was to get the credit I deserved for my education. We were assigned a number, generated by the school. I now admired the person who advocated before me, allowing us immigrants to get ahead in college despite lacking a status.
At the same time this was happening, Mario started elementary school. His parents were often proud by his teacher's comments and frequent remarks about how intelligent he was. Mario easily excelled in most subjects. His academic capabilities were remarkable. His teachers recommended his parents to transfer him out to a smaller, more challenging school. They listened.

I graduated with my associates, took a year off from school and returned to a Bachelor's program in a public university. My first chance at getting a merit tuition waiver, was shot down because I could not prove I was a citizen. That didn't stop me. I had come too far to get down on red tape barriers. It had take a long time when I finally graduated from the Bachelor's program with honors. I often visited Mario's family, staying in touch as much as possible.

Mario had finished elementary school and was recommended, once again by his teachers to be registered a a private middle school in the suburbs of Chicago. Getting into school was not an issue, getting there everyday was sort of a struggle due to the distance.

I started working in social work. I took another year off before returning to a three year, part time Master's program. At this point, I had an ss number but managed to pay most of my tuition and getting some merit tuition waver provided by the school.

Almost 21 years have passed. I have been practicing in my field for about three years now. Mario is a junior in one of the most challenging and prestigious high schools in Chicago. Undoubtedly, he has mastered at least two foreign languages. He is an honor's student and has also mastered the violin. But more surprisingly, he managed to make other like minded friends along the way. He has benefited from being part of a highly challenging academic environment.

I'm still in immigrant limbo and Mario is about to face the worst nightmare any student who has grown up and lived here endures. He will soon find out that his ability to join an ivy league school are not dependent anymore on his intellectual capabilities. Instead, Mario will have to face the immigration nightmare thousands of students are advocating for, fighting for the DREAM of their life.

This is a one in a lifetime event. I'm glad I have been a friend and hopefully source of advocacy for Mario. The nightmare has been endured long enough. It's time for change. It's time for the Mario's of the US to bring about what was promised to them.

Future

2011-02-22T08:12:00.000-08:00

Well folks, it's been three months since my last post and I have to say, many things have changed since.

As of now, I'm looking forward to my wedding in April, yeah!!!
The immigration movement or lack of continues to struggle. Despite what we are witnessing across the world, where the people have taken over the streets demanding their rights. Here in the US, we simply take everything for granted. The immigration movement has flare ups here and there but lacks that cohesiveness which ultimately will send the right message to those in power.

Two weeks ago I was sickened to learn that a hospital (wrongly named) Christ Advocate, blatantly and without absolute regard, transported back to Mexico a quadriplegic immigrant who was injured at a construction site during work. But since no one was able to pay for his care, the hospital decided to pay a company to air lift him all the way to Oaxaca, Mexico. When things like these happen, I am ashamed to call my self human. Everything is lost. We have lost our human values over money and greed.

Freaking cold and hypocrite Politicians.

2010-12-13T22:12:00.000-08:00

I'm tired. I'm officially tired of waiting for a DREAM to come true. I'm tired of damn politicians wager on my future. I'm tired of hoping and waiting for someone other than myself decide what's best for me. But most of all, I'm tired of these damn, cold, winters in Chicago.

To all the hypocrites and pundits on FOX TV et all, I'm tired of your scare tactics and b.s. I didn't just happened to get up from my behind one day and say, " well, today I feel like leaving my beautiful, colonial city, the nice and cozy weather from all year round and I will leave to the frozen winters in America." "Yes, why don't I do just that today?" To anybody who has a brain, these argument would not make any sense at all. For it's the fact of migration fueled by economic policies to the advantage of Americans which led me, as well as millions of others, to pick and leave our nations relocating here.

Way before I could even utter a word, my father struggled to find work. He worked in mines, in the field, and he even tried a shot a starting a business. Needless to say, nothing worked out for him. Money was always an issue, and at the time, as has been the case since it's creation, American economic policies dictated what happened in much of Latin American and Mexico.

In the 1970's Mexico was struggling economically as well as socially. Student movements and guerrillas were keeping the government occupied. The so-called democratic government which ruled Mexico for 70 years was wasting all its resources in persecuting and "extinguishing" people. Without a doubt, any money and training was being provided by the American government.

And so unable to find stable work for a long time, my father decided to leave our family and move to New York. The year was 1978, and I was 3 years old.

So, how the hell do Republicans, anti-immigration bigots, and radical pundits dare to tell me to "get in line." "Do it the right way!" "Play by the rules!" And decry that DREAMers are getting a "free ride".

Screw them, I say. I have been screwed with for so long. You reap what you have sown. And guess what? The DREAM Act is only the beginning of what you are about to see in regards to immigration reform. No longer will you be able to get away with damaging the futures of thousands of youth and families.

Those same youth you are turning your back against now, will be the same who will have you ousted from your Senate and House seat. Payback will be a bitc# then. Because what Republican'ts and Democrant's can't do, DREAMers will.

Coming out Part II

2010-11-22T21:59:00.000-08:00

In April this year, I wrote an entry about my legal status in the U.S.A. As I mentioned in that earlier post, even though I have a social security number, I am still in legal limbo. I'm not a "legal" resident or citizen, and I have been waiting on the so called "line" for almost 10 years. The wait is not over.

This post is for the people who know me or have gotten to know me for the past 20 years I've been living in this country.

Ever since I set foot in this nation, I worked in the restaurant industry. Two weeks after I arrived in New York, in 1990, I started working as a dishwasher. From that point on, restaurants became an easy and familiar way to make a living. Whether working as a dishwasher, busboy, server, or host, I always felt some sort of economic security and stability.

All together, I worked in the service industry for about 15 years. Along the way I met many interesting people and I developed long term friendships, some of which I still keep in touch to this day. To those remarkable people that came across my life, I dedicate this.

While you may have met me as a host, server or busboy many years ago, I now have a clinical license in social work. That means I put myself through college and graduate school, getting a degree and taking additional licensure exams in order to arrive at where I am today. Today, I enjoy my career everyday, helping children and families address their concerns. I advocate and empower individuals and educate families to reach stability.

But this entry is not about me. What this is about is, the DREAM Act. (The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2009 (S. 729).

"Each year, approximately 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high school, many at the top of their classes, but cannot go to college, join the military, work, or otherwise pursue their dreams. They belong to the 1.5 generation—any (first generation) immigrants brought to the United States at a young age who were largely raised in this country and therefore share much in common with second generation Americans. These students are culturally American, growing up here and often having little attachment to their country of birth. They tend to be bicultural and fluent in English. Many don’t even know that they are undocumented immigrants until they apply for a driver’s license or college, and then learn they lack Social Security numbers and other necessary legal documents. "

You see, I'm a DREAMer. When I decided to enroll in a GED program at Truman College, I did not have a social security. It was not until about half way in my Bachelor's program at NEIU that I was able to obtain a SS number, only to find out that using it would set me apart, in a different part of the cage, but still in the cage nonetheless.

The DREAM Act has been brought up in Congress twice already. Unfortunately, both times it was defeated by small margins due to political tactics that don't go beyond pragmatism, and solve nothing in the end. Sen. McCain has supported, then vote against it, and who knows what he will do when it comes up again in the near future.

While I would like to say that this is an attempt for me to finally resolve my legal status, see, I'm 35 years old, and in the text in the DREAM Act Bill, the cut-off age for any one benefiting from it is 35 years old. I'm really doing this for all the youth risking their freedom and lives in sit-in protests in Arizona, California and D.C. and hunger strikes. Already this year the DREAM Act was defeated even before coming to a vote, two weeks before the Nov. 2nd elections. Now, Sen. Harry Reid, and House Majority leader, Nancy Pelosi have promised again to bring it up for a vote on Nov. 29th during the "lame duck" session of Congress.

I'm a pleading to you, all. I want you to please give young DREAMers a chance. Just like when you met me along my journey, hopefully you could see and evaluate me through my character. Young DREAMers do this everyday. They work hard in their communities. They protest the status quo. And they deserve a chance that politicians aren't giving them in Washington today.

Please familiarize yourself with the DREAM Act and encourage others to do it as well. Supporting it may make the difference for the DREAMers who will get us out of this economic mess, and the next generation of doctors, professors, scientists or social workers (look at me!). Feel free to use me as an example. DREAMers are not bad people like populist and conservative pundits want to make people believe. It is a little late for me, but seeing what other young people are doing nowadays, standing up for freedom and justice really stirs up some emotions. Please do it for my sister who has began her career in child development, for a friend who is on his way to obtaining his PhD, for my friend's son who is enrolled in one of the top two high schools in Chicago. But most importantly, do it because it's the morally right thing to do. I wish I could educate everyone about this issue, but knowing you and also knowing the power of the internet, I know you can all help me too.

Take Action! Call your state's representatives and Senators urging them to support the DREAM Act. Urge others to call as well. The more people call and awareness we raise throughout state lines, the better chances the bill has to pass.

Thanks for reading this.

Nacho

Speak Up on Nov. 2nd.

2010-10-26T21:48:00.000-07:00

It's hard being an undocumented immigrant in the United States, and pretty much elsewhere at this day and age. It's horribly hard being an undocumented immigrant even more during election time. This means every two years, I have to get used to the notion that people that look like me, will be used as fear-inducing political toys on ads aired over and over again on TV, Radio and Internet.

Every time the bar seems to be lowered and lowered again by political adversaries riding on the fears of American voters, primarily Caucasian.

Take a look a this add talked about on Countdown with Keith Olberman:

I must add that Sharron Angle does not scare me or intimidate me with her "approved" tactics. If anything, I pity her for her lack of judgment and empathy. Such people lead hollow and unfulfilled lives. What I'm afraid of, is the human cost these advertising has on the everyday lives of hard working immigrants.
What amazes me, and is not surprising that, is 2010. We are a global community. We are connected worldwide and instead on focusing on the things we share in common, politicians continue to instill fear and prey on it for their own gain.

Honestly, it's tiring, demoralizing and dehumanizing to even think there are people out there who will bite the bait and continue to build barriers that keep us "separated but equal".

We have not come far from the age when people living together lacked basic civil rights.

So, come November 2nd. use your vote as the voice of reason, because as undocumented individuals, we are continuously silenced about our wants and needs.

"Afuera no te cuido solo adentro"

2010-10-12T21:41:00.000-07:00

Last night as I struggled to fall asleep, I couldn't help but think about a distant future. As I thought about it, I wondered how it would feel. You know, the notion of being totally and completely free!

There are moments in which hope abandons me. It doesn't happen frequently, but occasionally it does. Most of the time I get caught up in the day to day, life cycle; that I even forget I'm in a giant cell to begin with.

Last night, as I wandered through the space in between conscious and subconsciousness,I thought "How many times can I travel within without feeling trapped anymore?" For a brief moment-a split second long perhaps- I imagine myself free. Free to leave this material place. This so-called land of opportunity. Free from this land of fake morality, and empty social and human values. And also for a moment I contemplate my oppressed brothers and sisters, who everyday give up a little essence of themselves because we live in such oppressive society. I imagine them free as well.

But this can't be. At least not here, not now. Then, I realized I have done it again. I just traveled within to that safe place.

The title above is lyrics from a song in Spanish (obviously). I sometimes feel like by staying inside I am giving something up. The fear of being away from my family is what keeps me here, but at what cost, I wonder?

The pain in legal limbo

2010-10-07T21:18:00.000-07:00

The call came in on Monday. My only sister living in Mexico was hospitalized for complications with diabetes. Diabetes, along with ICE, has been on the top five threats to my family's physical and emotional well being. At this point, it appears that my sister's condition has aggravated her kidneys, requiring dialysis and constant medical care.

There's not much I can do for my sister all the way from Chicago. I have been speaking to my nephew, her son. He has been gracious and extremely attentive to her needs, leaving work and being by her side for the past few days. That's what family is supposed to do and that's precisely what's been bothering me the most.

It's in moments like this that I feel powerless and overwhelmed with despair and frustration. Thoughts rush through my mind about the potential lethality of my sister's condition. I fear for what could potentially happen and the fact that I can't simply pick up and be by her side. I try to be strong for my mother, and my siblings. I do what I always have done and learned to do in this state of limbo. I rationalize the situation and think about it's within my power to do.

It's been over 20 years now that I've been here. Legal status limbo is not the place I want to be anymore. I can't bear the thought of losing another love one and not being able to see them at least one more time. I have already lost many relatives and friends and it has troubled me that I wasn't able to give them a last farewell. I know we won't see each other again. And it's also moments like this that kills me being an atheist and not believing that we are nothing but dust dispersed randomly through the universe.

What would I give to be by my sister's side right now.

The week of our DREAMs.

2010-09-19T14:49:00.000-07:00

The coming two days will be the fight of our lives. Last week, Sen. Reid once again stirred up our DREAMs and hopes for a better future, after his announcement last week that he would submit the DREAM Act, attached to a defense bill and present it to the U.S. Senate. The past few days we have seen an enormous tidal wave of activism sprung across the nation. Just like the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's, this movement has been inspired by youth tired and frustrated with the status quo. DREAMers across the U.S. have grown tired of the systemic conditions that punish us and keep the current system in place. "Undocumented and unafraid", it's our motto. Finally, a glimpse of hope. Peace protest, sit-ins, marches, boycotts, media campaigns, mock graduations, and vigils, have not been uncommon, whatever is needed to raise the attention of the American public. A new reality has emerged and we cannot longer remain passive. Most DREAMers, myself included, have already demonstrated a passion to succeed and excel. America is our home and its values are our own. The DREAM Act will be the culmination of a life full of accomplishments.

I take my hat off to the DREAMers who are featured in this video. Their strength and perseverance has paved the way for so many of us. I also want to acknowledge the many people who everyday make it possible to be a fervent advocate for the issue of immigration. Their hard work and attitude is what makes this great nation stand strong.

"But DREAMs, you know they need to be followed through..." --DJ Shadow, "This Time".

DREAM Act Letters to Barack Obama: Laura López

2010-09-17T05:32:00.000-07:00

The "DREAM Now Series: Letters to Barack Obama" is a social media campaign that launched Monday, July 19, to underscore the urgent need to pass the DREAM Act, and ended on Wednesday, September 15, with the full support of Barack Obama. The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, S. 729, would help tens of thousands of young people, American in all but paperwork, to earn legal status, provided they graduate from U.S. high schools, have good moral character, and complete either two years of college or military service. With broader comprehensive immigration reform stuck in partisan gridlock, the time is now for Congress to step up and pass the DREAM Act!

Dear Mr. President,

My name is Laura López and I am an undocumented resident of Napa, California. My parents brought me in 1989 to provide for me the American Dream. I was a year and eight months old. The plan was that they'd work and I'd study and go to college. Our hard work was supposed to merit us the American Dream. But my merit would be questioned for a lack of legal documentation.

In 7th grade I joined Talent Search, a community college program promoting higher education. With them I planned my high school classes based on the track towards the University of California. I worked hard through the honors courses and passed the Advanced Placements tests. I completed community service hours with the honor society and competed with the dance team in San Diego, Reno, and Disney World. I did it all to get to college. As a senior in high school I learned of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 26: "Higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit". I believed it then, and I believe it now.

I merited the acceptance letters and chose Santa Cruz. But my high school counselor and Talent Search mentor did not mention that if you are undocumented, you must file the Assembly Bill 540 Non-resident Tuition Exemption Form or pay out-of-state tuition. Perhaps it didn't cross their minds that I could be undocumented and that AB540 was a determinant factor in my American Dream. Although I had lived in the same town for all but a year of my life I could be considered a non-resident student if weren't for that bill. If it weren't for late Assemblyperson Marco Firebaugh bill, I could not have afforded college; I would not have graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with a B.A. in Latin American and Latino Studies, Cum Laude, and a minor in Legal Studies. But, you may be asking Mr. President, what of life after college as an undocumented graduate with honors? Without a pathway to legalization, no merit of mine seems to matter. I have a great degree with which I could help the ever growing Latino population (citizens, permanent residents, and undocumented folks), but I cannot use it. I cannot get a job. Don't get me wrong, I love volunteering because it is necessary, but I need a job.

Folks who demand to 'do it the legal way' and 'wait in line' process may not realize that I am in line. If the system ran smoothly my wait is 12 years. Due to the application backlog my real wait is more like 18 years. At this pace, another generation will be born and graduate high school before I am eligible for a 'green card'. I may be in that line, but I am not willing to wait what seems a life time to live my own dreams. I am one of the 21 students who did the sit-in lobbying for the DREAM Act on July 20th. And as Senator Reid's, Feinstein's, Menendez's, Schumer's, and McCain's offices as my witnesses, us DREAMers will do all that it takes to pass the DREAM Act Now!

It is urgent the DREAM Act passes because the current immigration system is inefficient. My parents became Legal Permanent Residents (LPR) in September, 2004 and applied for me that December. You may wonder, Mr. President, why if my parents are residents since 2004 I am not. I must explain a little of the immigration process. If your parent is at least a Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) s/he can petition for you. A United States Citizen sibling can petition for you once s/he turns 21. I am the oldest so I had to wait for my parents to become LPRs. Without a pathway to legalization the petition my parents' filed for me will be denied. I'll be placed into deportation proceedings. Upon this happening, I could qualify for cancellation of removal if I meet the following requirements. One, have lived in the U.S. for at least 10 years (check mark). Two, have a good moral character (check mark). And three, and most difficult to prove, my sponsor (parent) would suffer extreme and unusual hardship if I were deported (not likely by immigration standards).

In my family's case, my parents' were able to become residents because my sister was born with hypophosphatemic rickets, a condition that requires life long vitamin supplements and corrective surgery too costly to be done without medical insurance and too extensive and painful to be done without your parents' support. Thus, when my parents' were denied their petition in 1997, the attorney filed for cancellation of removal and was able to prove that my sister would suffer 'extreme and unusual hardship' without them. According to the immigration process, my sister could not petition for me since she was not 21 years old, nor would she 'suffer' with my absence. And, so, my parents took the precaution of keeping me out of the petition rather than face the possibility of my deportation at just 10 years old.

So you see, I couldn't become a resident 10+ years ago and I may not become a resident in 18 years because the immigration system is terribly flawed. I understand that the political climate may not permit for a Comprehensive Immigration Reform. But the DREAM Act is the first step towards creating that right atmosphere. We all know that merit will be the foundation for Reform as it is already the foundation for the DREAM Act. I merit my residency through the DREAM Act and the DREAM Act is my only hope. I have met all of the pre-requisites. I have met the requirement of graduating from college. I don't want my college education to remain in idle; I don't want my future to remain on hold any longer.

I will be celebrating my 23rd birthday in a couple of months. I hope to also celebrate passage of the DREAM Act. It is the only legislation that would allow me to see my life beyond the American Dream my parents foresaw two decades ago. We all need the DREAM Act Now!

Sincerely,
Laura López

The "DREAM Now" letter series is inspired by a similar campaign started by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network for the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. The letters are produced by Kyle de Beausset at Citizen Orange with the assistance of America's Voice. Every Monday and Wednesday DREAM-eligible youth will publish letters to the President, and each Friday there will be a DREAM Now recap.

Approximately 65,000 undocumented youth graduate from U.S. high schools every year, who could benefit from passage of the DREAM Act. Many undocumented youth are brought to the United States before they can even remember much else, and some don't even realize their undocumented status until they have to get a driver's license, want to join the military, or apply to college. DREAM Act youth are American in every sense of the word -- except on paper. It's been nearly a decade since the DREAM Act was first introduced. If Congress does not act now, another generation of promising young graduates will be relegated to the shadows and blocked from giving back fully to our great nation.

This is what you can do right now to pass the DREAM Act:

Sign the DREAM Act Petition
Join the DREAM Act Facebook Cause
Send a fax in support of the DREAM Act
Call your Senator and ask them to pass the DREAM Act now.
Email kyle at citizenorange dot com to get more involved

Below is a list of previous entries in the DREAM Now Series:

Mohammad Abdollahi (19 July 2010)
Yahaira Carrillo (21 July 2010)
Weekly Recap - Tell Harry Reid You Want the DREAM Act Now (23 July 2010)
Wendy (26 July 2010)
Matias Ramos (28 July 2010)
Weekly Recap - The CHC Has To Stand With Migrant Youth Not Against Us (30 July 2010)
Tania Unzueta (2 August 2010)
Marlen Moreno (4 August 2010)
Weekly Recap - The Ghost of Virgil Goode Possesses the Republican Party (9 August 2010)
David Cho (9 August 2010)
Ivan Nikolov (11 August 2010)
Yves Gomes (16 August 2010)
Selvin Arevalo (18 August 2010)
Weekly Recap - Latino, LGBT, Migrant Youth, and Progressive Bloggers Lead For the DREAM Act (20 August 2010)
Carlos A. Roa, Jr. (23 August 2010)
Myrna Orozco (25 August 2010)
Lizbeth Mateo (30 August 2010)
Saad Nabeel (1 September 2010)
Chih Tsung Kao (8 September 2010)
Gaby Pacheco (13 September 2010)

Undocumented Students speak to McCain and Republican audience

2010-09-13T21:39:00.000-07:00

Who knows, this could simply be a political tactic by McCain but in any case he was able to listen to the DREAMers' stories and I imagine at least one of them touch his heart.

Call your legislators to push and vote for the DREAM ACT senate bill 729 in 2010. Call this number (202) 224-3121 and tell them what state you live in.

DREAM Now Letters to Barack Obama: Gaby Pacheco

2010-09-13T21:09:00.000-07:00

The "DREAM Now Series: Letters to Barack Obama" is a social media campaign that launched Monday, July 19, to underscore the urgent need to pass the DREAM Act. The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, S. 729, would help tens of thousands of young people, American in all but paperwork, to earn legal status, provided they graduate from U.S. high schools, have good moral character, and complete either two years of college or military service. With broader comprehensive immigration reform stuck in partisan gridlock, the time is now for the White House and Congress to step up and pass the DREAM Act!

Dear Mr. President,

I am a member of the first graduating class of Felix Varela Senior High which is located in Miami, Florida. I had attended school with my native-born friends. Like them, I participated in activities, field trips, dances, and felt the pain of losing a classmate.

It was around 10th grade that I realized my future after high school would not be the same as those of my peers even though I worked just as hard to obtain excellent grades. I understood that I was different. For over ten years I had been in hiding. For days I thought about coming out of the closet. I wanted to tell the whole world who I really was. I thought, "How would this affect the relationships with my friends?" "How would I be judged?" "How will my parents be affected?" I thought about it day and night, hoping that someone would help and wondering about the others, like me, out there.

It took a lot of courage, but one day in 10th grade I told everyone: I was an undocumented immigrant.

My teachers couldn't believe it. Some tried to help me, while others mocked me. I still remember one of my teachers yelling across the room, "Hey Pocahontas, why don't you get married?" Sadly, that is the only pathway to citizenship that ever seemed to be available, even after consultations with prestigious immigration lawyers.

Coming into the light had its benefits. Once I was out, I was able to explain my situation to college admissions personnel. In fact, there were several other undocumented students at my school who came to me and shared their secret. One made me promise to help him if I found a way to go to college. One day, I met a Miami Dade College recruiter who helped me enter college. Since then, I've earned three college degrees from MDC, and have represented my alma mater at both local and state levels as the Student Government Association president.

Still, coming out of the closet had its consequences. On July 26, 2006 there was a raid conducted at 6 a.m. in my home, and my parents and sister where detained. Fortunately, I acted quickly and was able to avoid detention. At first, I thought it was a mistake--a coincidence that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had come to my house. It wasn't. My family had to suffer consequences of my decision come out and become a human rights and student advocate. ICE hit me where it hurt the most.

Even though my family is still at risk of being deported, I have worked with organizations that fight for immigrant rights and have kept my family close to me. I know I can count on my friends at the Florida Immigrant Coalition, Students Working for Equal Rights, and Miami Dade College to be the support I need in moments of weakness. Still, Mr. President, you recently told La Opinión "I am a strong ally, like none other has been in the Oval office." If that's true than why are immigrant youth like Saad Nabeel still being deported, and why are our families and communities still being torn apart? Why do so many of us have to live in fear?

What is fear and how do we conquer it? Earlier this year, myself and three other immigrant youth decided to try and conquer our fears by walking 1,500 miles from Maimi to Washington, D.C. in support of the DREAM Act. On this walk, the Trail of DREAMs, we conquered many fears. We have heard too many cases of people being detained for no apparent reason. Police are interrogating people and asking questions about immigration status because they have entered into 287(g) agreements with ICE, and are now acting as ICE agents. Once, we were stopped by the police--something that, in many cities, means potential deportation. Without hesitation, we calmly spoke to the police officer, told him what we were doing, and proudly handed him information about the walk. How did I do it without getting deported? Well, in part, because we are not alone. We are together in this struggle. We walk often with shirts that say "UNDOCUMENTED," and we do it proudly--because we are sending an important message: "We are humans too, and we cannot be ignored and exploited anymore."

When we finally arrived in Washington D.C. after months of walking, we tried to meet with you, President Obama, but you refused to do so because we were undocumented. What kind of "strong ally" is this? It is time that you stepped up for us Mr. President and worked to pass the DREAM Act. It is too late to pass comprehensive immigration reform, this year, but we still have a chance at passing the DREAM Act before the November elections. The DREAM Act is one step towards just and humane immigration reform. One we pass it that will empower hundreds of thousands of immigrant youth to start working to better the lives of their family members. That's why it's time that you stepped up to help us make the DREAM Act happen, now. Tomorrow, you're giving a back to school speech. Why not mention the DREAM Act as an integral component of having a more educated workforce that will contribute to our economy? Or, better yet, mention the tens of thousands of immigrant youth who will not be able to attend college this semester because Congress has failed to pass the DREAM Act.

You made calls to several Republican Senators for comprehensive immigration reform, why not do the same for the DREAM Act? Here in Florida, after months of phone calls, letters, and faxes immigrant youth leaders finally met with Sen. George Lemieux (R-FL) who signaled an openness towards moving forward on the DREAM Act. Why not let him know you're serious about moving the DREAM Act forward this year? Even better, why not call the Democratic Senators who voted against cloture for the DREAM Act in 2007--like Mark Pryor (D-AR), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Max Baucus (D-MT), Jon Tester (D-MT), Kent Conrad (D-ND), and Byron Dorgan (D-ND)--and ask them to vote in favor of it, this year?

This is the only country we know as our home, Mr. President, and we're not leaving. We are Americans in every sense except for the piece of paper that recognizes us as such. For justice, for human rights, for the economy, for America, please, Mr. President, help us pass the DREAM Act.

Sincerely,
Gaby Pacheco

The "DREAM Now" letter series is inspired by a similar campaign started by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network for the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. The letters are produced by Kyle de Beausset at Citizen Orange with the assistance of America's Voice. Every Monday and Wednesday DREAM-eligible youth will publish letters to the President, and each Friday there will be a DREAM Now recap.

Approximately 65,000 undocumented youth graduate from U.S. high schools every year, who could benefit from passage of the DREAM Act. Many undocumented youth are brought to the United States before they can even remember much else, and some don't even realize their undocumented status until they have to get a driver's license, want to join the military, or apply to college. DREAM Act youth are American in every sense of the word -- except on paper. It's been nearly a decade since the DREAM Act was first introduced. If Congress does not act now, another generation of promising young graduates will be relegated to the shadows and blocked from giving back fully to our great nation.

This is what you can do right now to pass the DREAM Act:

Sign the DREAM Act Petition
Join the DREAM Act Facebook Cause
Send a fax in support of the DREAM Act
Call your Senator and ask them to pass the DREAM Act now.
Email kyle at citizenorange dot com to get more involved

DREAM Now: Letters to Barack Obama: Chih Tsung Kao

2010-09-08T18:04:00.000-07:00

Chih Tsung Kao

The "DREAM Now" letter series is inspired by a similar campaign started by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network for the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. The letters are produced by Kyle de Beausset at Citizen Orange with the assistance of America's Voice. Every Monday and Wednesday DREAM-eligible youth will publish letters to the President, and each Friday there will be a DREAM Now recap.

Approximately 65,000 undocumented youth graduate from U.S. high schools every year, who could benefit from passage of the DREAM Act. Many undocumented youth are brought to the United States before they can even remember much else, and some don't even realize their undocumented status until they have to get a driver's license, want to join the military, or apply to college. DREAM Act youth are American in every sense of the word -- except on paper. It's been nearly a decade since the DREAM Act was first introduced. If Congress does not act now, another generation of promising young graduates will be relegated to the shadows and blocked from giving back fully to our great nation.

This is what you can do right now to pass the DREAM Act:

Sign the DREAM Act Petition
Join the DREAM Act Facebook Cause
Send a fax in support of the DREAM Act
Call your Senator and ask them to pass the DREAM Act now.
Email kyle at citizenorange dot com to get more involved

DREAM Ahora - Carta Para Barack Obama: Matías Ramos

2010-09-07T15:57:00.000-07:00

The "DREAM Now Series: Letters to Barack Obama" is a social media campaign that launched Monday, July 19, to underscore the urgent need to pass the DREAM Act. The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, S. 729, would help tens of thousands of young people, American in all but paperwork, to earn legal status, provided they graduate from U.S. high schools, have good moral character, and complete either two years of college or military service. With broader comprehensive immigration reform stuck in partisan gridlock, the time is now for the White House and Congress to step up and pass the DREAM Act!

[Editor's Note from Kyle de Beausset: I'm publishing this letter in Spanish without translation in compliance with the wishes of Matias Ramos. For the nativists who bristle in the proximity of anything that isn't in English I say: This is America! Learn more than one language!]

Estimado Presidente:

Lo saludo con respeto y admiración, pero también con una queja y un pedido.

En Abril del 2010, empaqué mi ropa en dos bolsos y deje a mi familia y amigos en California para trabajar tiempo completo en el DREAM Act, un proyecto de ley que usted conoce bien y por el cual he esperado por muchos años. En ese entonces no tenía donde vivir, pero un amigo me presto su sillón por varios meses hasta que pude rentar una habitación. Washington es muy diferente a Los Angeles, en la cultura y el ritmo de la vida cotidiana. La adaptación fue dificultosa, pero recibí mucho apoyo desde todas partes del país de parte de muchas personas que comparten el mismo sueño que yo: ser ciudadanos legales de los Estados Unidos de América.

Cuando empecé a involucrarme con organizaciones de estudiantes indocumentados, no sabía hasta donde me iba a llevar, ni como me apasionaría este movimiento. Pero me motivo porque he visto el talento, el carácter, y la capacidad de esta generación de inmigrantes que ha crecido con recursos muy limitados, pero con potencial tremendo. Miles de soñadores han salido a las calles para demandar sus derechos. Al expresar públicamente que son indocumentados, han arriesgado todo, incluyendo uno de los males más temidos en nuestra comunidad: la deportación. Sin papeles, pero sin miedo, hemos marchado, cantado, y visitado a cada uno de nuestros representantes en el Congreso. También hemos creado una organización nacional llamada United We Dream.

Conocí a muchos de ellos en Febrero, cuando decidimos reunirnos para planear el año. Ya en ese entonces, estábamos muy decepcionados con usted. Parecía que la audacia de la campaña presidencial había sido reemplazada por una timidez y abandono del tema de inmigración. En el discurso presidencial de enero, usted solo dijo 38 palabras acerca del tema que domina nuestras vidas. Al mismo tiempo, su departamento de seguridad nacional autorizaba más deportaciones que nunca, y los líderes demócratas del Congreso no se decidían cuando habría un voto para crear nuevos programas de legalización. Ese día decidimos, en un grupo que incluía inmigrantes indocumentados de 17 estados, que era tiempo de que ya no esperaríamos más.

Por esas cosas de la vida, un día después fui arrestado en el aeropuerto de Minneapolis/ St. Paul por autoridades de inmigración. Ese mismo día, los oficiales de ICE me entregaron papeles de deportación. Gracias al trabajo del movimiento juvenil, me liberaron y transfirieron a Washington, DC. Dos semanas más tarde, recibí una prórroga de un año en mi deportación. El episodio me afectó mucho, ya que nunca había sido esposado ni encadenado en mi vida. También, porque compartí las historias de muchos que no tuvieron la misma dicha que yo. En sí, conocí algunos hombres buenos que estaban siendo deportados. Y pensé también que usted los estaba deportando.

Me acuerdo haberlo visto en Los Angeles, a principio del año 2008. En ese entonces, la mayoría de la gente no lo conocía y nadie esperaba que pudiera ganar la elección. Pero su mensaje de unidad verdaderamente me inspiró, por eso registré votantes en California y Nevada, y les pedí a muchos amigos que votaran por usted. Algunos me han preguntado por que partido deberían votar ahora que vienen nuevas elecciones. Honestamente, no sé.

Lo importante es que voten. Que voten por algunos Demócratas. Que voten por el Partido Verde. Que voten en blanco. Que salgan todos a votar para que nos escuchen de una vez por todas. Pero que no le regalen a ningún político lo que no se merece.

El hecho de que no puedo volver a mi barrio y decirle a la gente que tenga confianza en ninguno de los miembros del Congreso debería recordarle que las promesas que hizo tenían un significado especial. Tener papeles, para millones de Americanos, es un sueño que significaría perder el miedo y ganarse el respeto. Quedan pocas oportunidades de cambiar la corriente anti-inmigrante antes de las elecciones. El DREAM Act (S.729/H.R.1751) es la mejor.

Sinceramente,
Matias Ramos
Alien Number 089708376
United We Dream Network, Board Member

The "DREAM Now" letter series is inspired by a similar campaign started by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network for the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. The letters are produced by Kyle de Beausset at Citizen Orange with the assistance of America's Voice. Every Monday and Wednesday DREAM-eligible youth will publish letters to the President, and each Friday there will be a DREAM Now recap.

Approximately 65,000 undocumented youth graduate from U.S. high schools every year, who could benefit from passage of the DREAM Act. Many undocumented youth are brought to the United States before they can even remember much else, and some don't even realize their undocumented status until they have to get a driver's license, want to join the military, or apply to college. DREAM Act youth are American in every sense of the word -- except on paper. It's been nearly a decade since the DREAM Act was first introduced. If Congress does not act now, another generation of promising young graduates will be relegated to the shadows and blocked from giving back fully to our great nation.

This is what you can do right now to pass the DREAM Act:

Sign the DREAM Act Petition
Join the DREAM Act Facebook Cause
Send a fax in support of the DREAM Act
Call your Senator and ask them to pass the DREAM Act now.
Email kyle at citizenorange dot com to get more involved

DREAM Now Letters to Barack Obama: Saad Nabeel

2010-09-02T15:12:00.000-07:00

Sign the DREAM Act Petition
Join the DREAM Act Facebook Cause
Send a fax in support of the DREAM Act
Call your Senator and ask them to pass the DREAM Act now.
Email kyle at citizenorange dot com to get more involved

DREAM Now Letters to Barack Obama: Lizbeth Mateo

2010-08-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

The "DREAM Now Series: Letters to Barack Obama" is a social media campaign that launched Monday, July 19, to underscore the urgent need to pass the DREAM Act. The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, S. 729, would help tens of thousands of young people, American in all but paperwork, to earn legal status, provided they graduate from U.S. high schools, have good moral character, and complete either two years of college or military service. With broader comprehensive immigration reform stuck in partisan gridlock, the time is now for the White House and Congress to step up and pass the DREAM Act!

Dear Mr. President,

My name is Lizbeth Mateo and I am undocumented. On May 17th, on the 56th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, I, along with Mohammad Abdollahi, Yahaira Carrillo and two others, became the first undocumented students to risk deportation by staging a sit-in inside Senator McCain’s office in Tucson, Arizona, to demand the immediate passage of the DREAM Act. As a result of that sit-in we were arrested, turned over to ICE, and we now face deportation.

I came to this country when I was fourteen-years-old from Oaxaca, Mexico. It was the late nineties and Mexico was, and is still, facing one of the worst socio-economic and political periods in recent history. For my parents - a taxi driver and a stay-at-home-mom that were struggling to make ends meet- it was clear that they would have to choose between seeing their children starve and get sick, or risk it all, leave everything behind and relocate the family to Southern California with hopes of a better future. In 1998 we moved to Los Angeles and have lived here, since.

Their choice and sacrifice paid-off. I didn't only become the first one in my family to graduate from high school, but a couple of years ago I became the first one in my family to graduate from college. I graduated from California State University, Northridge and I am currently in the process of applying to law school. My dream is to become an attorney and defend the most vulnerable in the courts of law.

Life as an undocumented student has not been easy, it's been filled with tough choices and a lot of uncertainty. At one point I felt like the only way to fulfill my dream of higher education was to leave my family behind and go back to Mexico. But California had become my home and so I chose to stay despite the uncertain future ahead. Against all odds I enrolled in college, and it was there that I first learned about the DREAM Act. From the moment I heard about this piece of legislation I decided to work hard and advocate for its passage. It's now been seven years since that day and the DREAM Act has yet to become a reality.

Despite overwhelming support, Congress has been unwilling to pass the DREAM Act. It is because of that inaction that earlier this year I had to decide whether committing civil disobedience would be worth the risk of being forcibly separated from my family, and deported to a place I no longer consider home. I made a choice, forced in part by the lack of courage from our leaders in Congress and inspired by your call to change, the "change [that] will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time." Just as I had chosen to work on your campaign inspired by what you said, that "we are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek," I also chose to face my fears, to risk it all, to seek that change, and sit-in so that the DREAM Act could stand alone.

Some say that destiny is not a matter of chances but one of choices. My life and that of my fellow Dreamers has been filled with tough choices, some made by us and some made by others on our behalf. Two months after five of us chose to risk it all for our futures, because we knew that without the DREAM Act we had no future, twenty-one others chose to risk it all for a dream that belongs to us as much as it belongs to our families, our communities, and our home - the United States of America.

I firmly believe that we have made the right choice - to stand up for what we believe in and to try to fulfill the promise of the great American Dream that brought us here in the first place. I firmly believe that we, the undocumented youth, are standing on the right side of history. Now I ask that you stand with us by making the right choice. Help us pass the DREAM Act immediately. Help us free our DREAMs, which have for too long been held hostage to political rhetoric and insensitive choices by a few that have yet to recognize the potential that we have as young, educated people.

Mr. President, staying strong and facing my challenges with courage and dignity while I wait patiently is no longer an option, it's no longer a choice I can make because I played the last card I had, and my time is running out. I put my life on the line in order to have a chance at a future out of the shadows. Now the DREAM Act is the only chance I have to stay home. Please help us pass the DREAM Act so that no more youth have to risk it all by putting their lives on the line.

Sincerely,
Lizbeth Mateo

The "DREAM Now" letter series is inspired by a similar campaign started by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network for the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. The letters are produced by Kyle de Beausset at Citizen Orange with the assistance of America's Voice. Every Monday and Wednesday DREAM-eligible youth will publish letters to the President, and each Friday there will be a DREAM Now recap.

Approximately 65,000 undocumented youth graduate from U.S. high schools every year, who could benefit from passage of the DREAM Act. Many undocumented youth are brought to the United States before they can even remember much else, and some don't even realize their undocumented status until they have to get a driver's license, want to join the military, or apply to college. DREAM Act youth are American in every sense of the word -- except on paper. It's been nearly a decade since the DREAM Act was first introduced. If Congress does not act now, another generation of promising young graduates will be relegated to the shadows and blocked from giving back fully to our great nation.

This is what you can do right now to pass the DREAM Act:

Sign the DREAM Act Petition
Join the DREAM Act Facebook Cause
Send a fax in support of the DREAM Act
Call your Senator and ask them to pass the DREAM Act now.
Email kyle at citizenorange dot com to get more involved

DREAM Now Letter : Myrna Orozco

2010-08-26T21:40:00.000-07:00

This entry is really important because Myrna is in dire need to continue her fight for justice and the for DREAM Act. She is a great example of courage and strength, something that has kept this nation thriving for centuries.

The "DREAM Now Series: Letters to Barack Obama" is a social media campaign that launched Monday, July 19, to underscore the urgent need to pass the DREAM Act. The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, S. 729, would help tens of thousands of young people, American in all but paperwork, to earn legal status, provided they graduate from U.S. high schools, have good moral character, and complete either two years of college or military service. With broader comprehensive immigration reform stuck in partisan gridlock, the time is now for the White House and Congress to step up and pass the DREAM Act!

Dear Mr. President,

On July 20th, 2010 I was arrested in the office of Senator John McCain fighting for the DREAM Act.

I am one of the thousands of students who would qualify for this legislation. I was brought to the United States at the age of four and have been here ever since. I consider myself to be a good student and I always strive to be a good example for others. I have been waiting for the DREAM Act to pass since it was first introduced in 2001, and this year I decided that I couldn't stand by and wait another year. I decided to fight for my DREAMs.

I can no longer watch as politicians gamble with my future and the futures of my friends, family, and even strangers who are in the same position as I am. This is why I, along with 20 other DREAMers decided to take action and fight for what we believe is right; thus, we decided to conduct sit-ins at various senators offices and urge them to take action on the DREAM Act. We can not stand by as another class of outstanding students graduate without being able to fulfill their DREAMs.

I have been taught that America is the land of opportunity yet I have been denied the opportunity to contribute back to society and continue with my education. I put my life on the line by participating in this action but I strongly believe it is worth it, because all I'm asking for is an opportunity to DREAM.

Because of the sit-in I have to return to Washington DC for my trial on October 1st, 2010. During the trial I will continue to fight for what I believe is right. I need to be able to make it back to DC for this date, however, I'm running out of funds. Please help me continue my fight so that I can make it back to DC for my trial on October first.

If I can't make it by then I'll have a warrant for my arrest and the risk of deportation will be higher. I don't want to go back to a country that I don't know. America is my home, the country I would fight for, the country I would die for. Please help me remain with my family and friends. Please help me stay home.

Thank you so much for your contribution,

Myrna Orozco

NOTE: You can help Myrna by donating here:

The "DREAM Now" letter series is inspired by a similar campaign started by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network for the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. The letters are produced by Kyle de Beausset at Citizen Orange with the assistance of America's Voice. Every Monday and Wednesday DREAM-eligible youth will publish letters to the President, and each Friday there will be a DREAM Now recap.

Approximately 65,000 undocumented youth graduate from U.S. high schools every year, who could benefit from passage of the DREAM Act. Many undocumented youth are brought to the United States before they can even remember much else, and some don't even realize their undocumented status until they have to get a driver's license, want to join the military, or apply to college. DREAM Act youth are American in every sense of the word -- except on paper. It's been nearly a decade since the DREAM Act was first introduced. If Congress does not act now, another generation of promising young graduates will be relegated to the shadows and blocked from giving back fully to our great nation.

This is what you can do right now to pass the DREAM Act:

Sign the DREAM Act Petition
Join the DREAM Act Facebook Cause
Send a fax in support of the DREAM Act
Call your Senator and ask them to pass the DREAM Act now.
Email kyle at citizenorange dot com to get more involved

Below is a list of previous entries in the DREAM Now Series:

Mohammad Abdollahi (19 July 2010)
Yahaira Carrillo (21 July 2010)
Weekly Recap - Tell Harry Reid You Want the DREAM Act Now (23 July 2010)
Wendy (26 July 2010)
Matias Ramos (28 July 2010)
Weekly Recap - The CHC Has To Stand With Migrant Youth Not Against Us (30 July 2010)
Tania Unzueta (2 August 2010)
Marlen Moreno (4 August 2010)
Weekly Recap - The Ghost of Virgil Goode Possesses the Republican Party (9 August 2010)
David Cho (9 August 2010)
Ivan Nikolov (11 August 2010)
Yves Gomes (16 August 2010)
Selvin Arevalo (18 August 2010)
Weekly Recap - Latino, LGBT, Migrant Youth, and Progressive Bloggers Lead For the DREAM Act (20 August 2010)
Carlos A. Roa, Jr. (23 August 2010)

DREAM Now Letters to Barack Obama: Carlos A. Roa Jr.

2010-08-24T22:40:00.000-07:00

Sign the DREAM Act Petition
Join the DREAM Act Facebook Cause
Send a fax in support of the DREAM Act
Call your Senator and ask them to pass the DREAM Act now.
Email kyle at citizenorange dot com to get more involved

DREAM Now Letters Weekly Summary

2010-08-22T08:09:00.000-07:00

This is DREAM Now: Letters to Barack Obama weekly recap.

The work is not done and will not be until the DREAM Act is passed even as a stand alone bill.

Support the DREAM--READ on!!!!

The "DREAM Now Series: Letters to Barack Obama" is a social media campaign that launched Monday, July 19, to underscore the urgent need to pass the DREAM Act. The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, S. 729, would help tens of thousands of young people, American in all but paperwork, to earn legal status, provided they graduate from U.S. high schools, have good moral character, and complete either two years of college or military service. With broader comprehensive immigration reform stuck in partisan gridlock, the time is now for the White House and Congress to step up and pass the DREAM Act!

It's been one month since the DREAM Now Series started, and it's been far more successful than I had ever imagined. DREAM Now Letters have been cross-posted and mentioned by a wide selection of bloggers. Those blog posts, in turn, have been viewed, shared and retweeted tens of thousands of times.

As always when it comes to pro-migrant blogging, Latin@ blogs are at the vanguard led mostly by the strong and talented Latina bloggers at Latino Politics Blog, Latina Lista, and Vivir Latino. Time and time again, Adriana Maestas, Maegan "La Mamita Mala" Ortiz, and Marisa Treviño have stood on the side of migrant youth when few others would. They have gone above and beyond in cross-posting the letters of migrant youth.

It is within the pro-migrant online spaces largely created by Latin@s that undocumented youth bloggers have been able to thrive, connect, and organize. Though I haven't had as much time to reach out to DREAMers to cross-post these letters online, and many DREAMers are too busy organizing to blog and tweet these days, I love that both of the migrant youth blogs Life By DREAM and Migrant Headlines have been cross-posting the DREAM Now Letters, regularly.

There's a new group of pro-migrant bloggers that have recently been added to this coalition for the DREAM Act. As any migrant youth leader will tell you, just as racism is inextricable from nativism, so is the LGBT movement inextricable from the migrant youth movement. A disproportionate number of migrant youth leaders identify as queer.

So while national immigration reform groups have sometimes made the "strategic" decision to downplay LGBT immigration concerns in order to appeal to the religious right, that has simply never been an option for the migrant youth movement. Doing so would mean neglecting the very souls of some of our strongest leaders: among them Mario Rodas, Mohammad Abdollahi, Tania Unzueta, and Yahaira Carrillo.

That's why I'm happy to report that the decision to model these DREAM Now Letters after a similar campaign by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network to raise awareness around repealing the military's discriminatory "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy has been graciously received. Above all, the greatest honor of this campaign, has been the fact that Pam Spaulding at Pam's House Blend has been consistently front-paging the DREAM Now Letters. Pam is easily one of the best bloggers on the web and her support of the DREAM Now Letters is huge. Finally, a lasting symbol of the unity between the migrant youth movement and the LGBT movement will always be the demonstrations by both Lt. Dan Choi and four DREAMers during Harry Reid's speech at Netroots Nation.

Last but not least, the broader progressive blogosphere has also been supporting the DREAM Now Letters in a way that would have been unthinkable only a couple of years ago. Crooks and Liars has been leading the Progressive blogosphere with their support of the DREAM Now Letters. Daily Kos has linked to DREAM Now Letters diaries on their front-page. While Firedoglake has not front-paged any DREAM Now Letters, FDL has consistently been the mainstream progressive blog that is most supportive of migrant youth through their publication original pro-migrant content. There's still a lot of work to be done in the progressive blogosphere. Progressive blogs, arguably, have the largest audience that needs to be educated about the DREAM Act.

Now is not the time to fall off. A month has gone but we still have as much as a month and a half to go before we have a chance at getting a vote on the DREAM Act. The DREAM Now Letters have become crucial in flooding the internet with content about the DREAM Act and informing others who otherwise might not have heard of it. I have a to do a better job at both consistency and outreach, and I've think I've started to get to a point where that's going to be easier for me to do. Any and all help from others is appreciated.

Below is a list of everyone who has consistently published or linked to DREAM Now Letters.

DREAM Letters Publishers:
America's Voice
Crooks and Liars
Culture Kitchen
Democracia Ahora
Docudharma Doing My Part For The Left
Latina Lista
Latino Politics Blog
Life By DREAM
Migrant Headlines My Latino News
Nuestra Voice
Pam's House Blend
The Kite
Vivir Latino

DREAM Letters Mentions:
Change.org
Daily Kos
Deportee's Wife
Hispanic tips
House of Grant
Imagine 2050
Immigration Talk With A Mexican American
La Frontera Times
Michigan Liberal
Michigan Messenger
Mom's Rising
Mother Talkers
Para Justicia Y Libertad
PolitiFi
Regator
Restore Fairness
Roots Wire
TV Realist

The "DREAM Now" letter series is inspired by a similar campaign started by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network for the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. The letters are produced by Kyle de Beausset at Citizen Orange with the assistance of America's Voice. Every Monday and Wednesday DREAM-eligible youth will publish letters to the President, and each Friday there will be a DREAM Now recap.

Approximately 65,000 undocumented youth graduate from U.S. high schools every year, who could benefit from passage of the DREAM Act. Many undocumented youth are brought to the United States before they can even remember much else, and some don't even realize their undocumented status until they have to get a driver's license, want to join the military, or apply to college. DREAM Act youth are American in every sense of the word -- except on paper. It's been nearly a decade since the DREAM Act was first introduced. If Congress does not act now, another generation of promising young graduates will be relegated to the shadows and blocked from giving back fully to our great nation.

This is what you can do right now to pass the DREAM Act:

Sign the DREAM Act Petition
Join the DREAM Act Facebook Cause
Send a fax in support of the DREAM Act
Call your Senator and ask them to pass the DREAM Act now.
Email kyle at citizenorange dot com to get more involved

DREAM Now Letters: Selvin Arevalo

2010-08-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

Here's another entry from the "DREAM Now Series: Letters to Barack Obama" from our dear friend and colleage, Kyle at Citizen Orange. The DREAM Now Letter series is yet another attemp at raising awareness about the crucial need for immigration reform and secure support for the passage of the DREAM Act.

Read on and pass it on!

The "DREAM Now Series: Letters to Barack Obama" is a social media campaign that launched Monday, July 19, to underscore the urgent need to pass the DREAM Act. The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, S. 729, would help tens of thousands of young people, American in all but paperwork, to earn legal status, provided they graduate from U.S. high schools, have good moral character, and complete either two years of college or military service. With broader comprehensive immigration reform stuck in partisan gridlock, the time is now for the White House and Congress to step up and pass the DREAM Act!

[Note from Kyle de Beausset: Selvin wrote this letter right before he got into a minor car accident on April 9, 2010. He was set to get his high school diploma in June but has been in detention ever since. I have chosen reproduce Selvin's letter as I found it in his empty room, rather than polish his slight grammatical errors, to allow his character to shine through.]

Dear President Barack Obama,

From the bottom of my heart, I plead to my God that you and your entire family receive blessings from the highest God while you are reading this letter. I admire and thank you for the great labor that you are fulfilling as a president in this big nation. My name is Selvin Ovidio Arevalo. I came to this country when I was 15 years old. I came from Guatemala to this country to fulfill my dreams because I always have believed that this is a country of many opportunities for those whom want to succeed.

Since I came to this country, I have been going to school to learn and enhance my English. Three years ago, I enrolled with Adult Education in Portland, ME, for my high school diploma. Finally, in this June 2010, I shall have my high school diploma. I am already enrolled in college transition. I wish that at the end of this yar, I can go to college, but what concern me about is getting financial aid. I cannot qualify for any financial aid because I am not legal in this country. The reason that I write you is to plead you for a solution to my problem. I have been a Christian since I was a kid. For eight years, I have been praying to my God to touch the heart of the leaders of this country to provide me legalization. I think that I have three important reasons for why I want to be legal in this country. First reason: I want to go to college and have a degree of computer science and more. Second: I am one of the leaders of a Christian church in Portland, Maine. I am the treasurer of the church, a musician; I play instruments in the chorus of my church, and a youth leader. Third: I have not seen my family (parents, sisters, and brother) for eight years. I have shed tears for them, but I am waiting until a legalization to go to see them.

I appreciate and thank you for spending your time reading this letter. Once again, I plead you for a solution to my problem. My faith is great; I believe that one day I am going to be legal in this country. Then my dreams will become true. Once again, thank you for your good will and I hope you have a wonderful time. May the peace of God be with you forever and ever!

Sincerely,
Selvin Arevalo Ovidio

How you can help Selvin:

Right now, the focus should still be on stopping the deportation of Ivan Nikolov, but if you would like to stay up to date on Selvin's case you can:

"Like" his Facebook page
Join the Facebook group "We Are Selvin"
Follow Citizen Orange for more updates

Sign the DREAM Act Petition
Join the DREAM Act Facebook Cause
Send a fax in support of the DREAM Act
Call your Senator and ask them to pass the DREAM Act now.
Email kyle at citizenorange dot com to get more involved

DREAM Now: Letters to Barack Obama: Yves Gomes

2010-08-17T07:07:00.000-07:00

Sign the DREAM Act Petition
Join the DREAM Act Facebook Cause
Send a fax in support of the DREAM Act
Call your Senator and ask them to pass the DREAM Act now.
Email kyle at citizenorange dot com to get more involved

DREAM NOW Letters to Barack Obama

2010-08-13T07:21:00.001-07:00

Sign this petition to DHS
Send a fax to DHS
Call Janet Napolitano, Director of the Department of Homeland Security (202-282-8495)
Call John Morton, Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (202-732-3000)
Call Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) and ask him to lead on getting the DREAM Act passed this year (202-224-6221)
Call Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and ask her to co-sponsor the DREAM Act (202-224-4822)

When calling ICE please be very polite and say something like this:

I am calling to leave a message of support for Ivan (A#078-251-095) who is going to be deported any day now. I ask that Director Morton please step in to defer his deportation, he is an asset to this country. Thank you.

Sign the DREAM Act Petition
Join the DREAM Act Facebook Cause
Send a fax in support of the DREAM Act
Call your Senator and ask them to pass the DREAM Act now.
Email kyle at citizenorange dot com to get more involved

12 Step Recovery Process for Conservative/Radical Republicans

2010-08-09T07:02:00.000-07:00

While pondering about today's politics and political non-sense, I thought about what needs to happen to right-wing nuts and pundits so we can move on on the issue of immigration, race and discrimination. And so, I came up with this list of 12 Steps for Recovery.

Step 1: Admitting that you do not like people of color (You could not even bear to watch a Colors of Benetton commercial!).

Step 2: Admitting that you do not like others who enjoy life to the fullest and you can't, because the Bible say so.

Step 3: Admitting that we all came here uninvited and until you find the invitation (or Evite) the Native Americans made to the Pilgrims; I stand corrected.

Step 4: Admitting that Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert speak more truthiness than Lou Dobbs, Glen Beck, Bill O’Reilly, Sarah Palin, and all right-wind pundits put together.

Step 5: Admitting that you are afraid not from terrorist or undocumented immigrants, but your constituents finding out the skeletons in your closet.

Step 6: Admit to and renounce your addiction to big corporations, lobbyist and Wall Street.

Step 7: Admitting that change is constant and those kids you now call “anchor babies” will be the future Congress man and women; Gomez, Martinez, Garcia, Lopez, Sanchez, et al.

Step 8: Admitting that the immigration system is as failed as you would be on a Morality Index Scale test.

Step 9: Admitting your addiction to power and control which without, would make you another “Joe the plumber” landing you a job on FOX TV.

Step 10: Finally, admitting that there is a force bigger than you, me, and all that surrounds us. His name is Obama.

Bleak Friday?

2010-04-26T21:38:00.000-07:00

Last week's Friday was one to forget.

Before going to work on Friday morning, I heard the news on the radio about what had happened in Arizona. I felt upset and frustrated at the fact that injustices continue happening from all angles of society, and nothing is being done to stop more human abuse from occurring.

On my way to work, my friend calls me and asks me for help finding legal advice. As it turns out, he may be in trouble with immigration himself over some mishandled police investigation. Damn, one more thing on my mind and even more frustration with everything that has been happening.
I tried to be reassuring but I know they way things are going, it's really hard staying hopeful and optimistic all the time.

At around 5pm, Chicago time, I left work. Before walking 15 feet away from the door, I saw three teenage girls jumping another girl, on her way to school to pick up her sisters. As I called them out and came close to the perpetrators, they took off. That poor girl laid on the sidewalk, crying and in obvious shock. I called the police and waited along side that poor girl crying. Details were taken and promises were made, but in the end they seemed more concerned in finding out what the victim had done to deserve it. At this point my frustration was reaching its limits. I tried finding an explanation for those girls' aggressive behavior, among girls none the less, but I just couldn't. I was speechless and numb at the same time. It's one thing to hear these things in the news and another to witness them first hand.

When I got home, later that evening, I talked to my sister over the phone. Before we hung up, she told me her little dog had been ran over by a car. Instead of being empathetic, I reprimanded her for having bought a dog to teach her children about responsibility. After hanging up, I felt terrible thinking I should have listened and be comforting.

If this was some way to challenge my atheist faith, I think I made it. But man does it get hard some days.

Friday, April 23rd, 2010 was a day to forget, indeed.

Coming out.

2010-04-02T22:05:00.000-07:00

I'm over a month late for this but the fact is, it never stop bothering me the thought that many people were doing this and I wasn't.

My name is Ignacio and I am still undocumented.

In my previous post I mentioned that this July, I will officially reach the 20th year mark. I came to the U.S. at age fifteen. I had just finished middle school in Mexico when my parents decided to pick up and leave; all of us.

We settled in New York and I started working as a dishwasher for about three years. Within a few months, I enrolled in what used to be a private ESL school at the Pennsylvania Hotel, across the street from Madison Square Garden. I attended that school for about a year gaining some ground on the language that I would soon adopt. I was able to pay for this with my $18o/week dishwasher salary. But I missed school.

Withing five years I moved to Chicago with my parents and youngest sister. They returned to New York and I stayed behind. I started working as a busboy in a restaurant. The managers hired me because they were impressed with my language skills and often I would be offered a position as a server. Once in Chicago, I enrolled in a GED program and ESL program at a community college. When I finished the GED program within one year, I enrolled in an associate's program in Social Science.

While all of this was happening, I would hear stories about people "fixing" their legal status, not knowing that these were all scams preying on the hopes of the people. On two occasions, I lost money betting on some bad advice and worst legal representation. These mishaps left me upset and really frustrated. Gladly, in Chicago, I had surrounded with many friends I met through school and I also had my studies to concentrate on. Education has always been a good scape from this harsh reality that us undocumented people go through.

About five years ago, I was able to apply for a "change of status" through my brother, who is a U.S. citizen. Although later I came to find out that the, yet again, legal representation had been misleading to say the least, I was able to obtain a work permit and a ss card for one year.
First let me say that often times, some young Dreamers end their academic hopes and dreams because they lack a ss card and therefore they have to forgo their education focusing on working to help their families. In my case, having these documents put me in a different category of limbo. For one, to this day, I can identify with the pain and suffering most undocumented people experience every day. I have loss friends and family in Mexico. Not being able to travel has been the biggest frustration for me because I have not been allowed to grieve a loss or attend a funeral. On the upside, I enjoy some benefits such as having a driver's license and being able to work. But these benefits often make me feel uncomfortable because I don't know how long they will last and they set me apart from friends and family who have nothing. I often feel guilt, remorse and frustration all at once.

As I mentioned earlier, I wasted no time educating myself in the past 20 years. I have obtained a college education in the field of social services. I enjoy my profession very much and I am thankful to all those professors and fellow professionals I have met along the way. Everyday I go to work feeling like I am making a difference in someone's life and the community. The people I help don't need to know or care that I am undocumented. It is thanks to my work ethic, my core beliefs of empathy and resilience that I am able to endure this unpleasant reality while helping others reach their potential.

It is ironic that the Anglo-Protestant work ethic defines success as rooted in a person's character and personal values and yet, all I have stated above can simply be summarized in a word that is to painful. My name is Ignacio and I am still undocumented.

What moves you??

2010-02-21T21:31:00.000-08:00

This June I am nearing the 20th year mark since I moved (somehow "moved" does not seem to fully describe the treacherous travel North) to the U.S. There are days when I feel numb. I feel that somehow time stopped and I'm still that 15 year old teen yearning for a better life along his family. I'm well over 15 years old now and the everyday demands from life spare me no time. Like everyone else, I have to work to pay bills, taxes, etc. etc. Once again I ask myself the question, what moves me?

I've asked this question over, again, and again. I always come up short and empty handed. I still don't know what "it" is. Last year I had a glimpse of hope, when the Obama administration was taking over the White House, I thought, this is "it". For a moment, I thought, this is the moment student Dreamers, hard working undocumented workers, mixed-families and anyone in fear of deportation, have been waiting for. Time and politics have proved the contrary. Politics have become so polarized that any hope there ever existed about passing CIR seems dimmer by the day.

So, what moves me? Well, despite the fact that I've lived here for almost 20 years and I'm still undocumented, "it" is knowing that there are days when I come to work and by the grace of learning a second language, I can use my empathy and advocacy skills helping others. More than once, I have helped families fight to remain together, gathering evidence on the negative effects a family separation would conjure for their loved ones. This seems ironic, because I too can one day become separated from my loved ones; unless CIR is passed.

What moves me, is knowing that there's someone out there who, like me, will find "it" in his/her heart and finally do the right thing. For us, for them, for everyone.

A call to justice.

2010-01-03T21:26:00.000-08:00

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." --Martin Luther King Jr.

The following paragraph is from the Trail of Dreams website:

"On January 1st, 2010, a small team of brave, passionate young immigrant students from Florida’s Students Working for Equal Rights (SWER) will embark on a 4-month long, 1,500 mile walk – the Trail of Dreams. As they travel through the southeastern United States, this courageous group will be seeking meetings with political and civic leaders, joining in rallies and vigils, and reaching out to the media - galvanizing support for immigration policy reform in communities that might otherwise be without a voice. Their Trail will lead them all the way from Miami’s Freedom Tower to the United States Capitol in Washington D.C., where they will join with thousands of others on in a mass rally for reform on May 1st, 2010. "

Four valiant and extraordinary youth have taken on the huge task of calling attention to the injustice that is our immigration system. Tired of living an American nightmare despite demonstrating the highest moral and civic value both socially and academically, they have decided to embark on this long journey that will lead them to confront justice at its door in Washington, D.C.

Furthermore, another group of exemplary immigrants have also taken upon themselves to stay back home in South Florida fasting indefinitely. Their goal is to call attention to President Obama and Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano to end all raids and prevent more and more families from being separated.

Whether walking or fasting, the actions of these admirable people will resonate across the nation. They all are magnificent examples of individuals this society needs. Their call to action and message to reform immigration once and for all will be heard everywhere! Nothing moves the heart more than people standing up for what they believe in.

Justice is on the move. Be on the lookout for these young heroes coming to a town near you Felipe, Juan, Gaby and Carlos.

Also please keep Francisco, Sebastian, Gaby and anonymous faster in your prayers. They are willing to put their health at risk to gather support for immigration reform and ending deportations.

Here you will find some suggestions to help them in their struggle.

http://trailofdreams.net/How_YOU_can_help.php

http://fastforourfamilies.org/

We are all in this together! Spread the word!!

Ramdomness

2009-12-12T22:17:00.001-08:00

It's proven, over and over again, hard to stay up with everything that is going on with immigration news and such. Alas, I do what I can.

Yesterday I received news from causes.org notifying me that fellow Dreamer Rodrigo Padilla from Chicago was granted a stay in the U.S. at least for one more year, while his case is reviewed. Unfortunately, though, the attention and continued urgency has been passed on to Andrea Huerfano. She is also a fellow Dreamer and is in dire need of support helping her remain in the country.

Just today I also received news about the up-and-coming immigration reform bill that will be introduced by Rep. Luis Gutierrez in Congress, two days from today. Let's hope this time something radical does happen.

On another good news, I have learned that Judge Sotomayor has introduced the term "undocumented immigrant" in the Supreme Court, something that makes me hopeful that one day the term "illegal alien/immigrant", will be stored away only to be part of our history books.

The movement continues.

The "winds of change."

2009-11-21T22:50:00.000-08:00

This month seems to be full of good news.

Loud Dobbs quit or was let go from CNN. Upon his departure and at his appearance in the Daily Show, he commented on the winds of change our nation is experiencing. I don't know what exactly Mr. Dobbs was referring to but watching Walter Lara being interview by Rick Sanchez along with "Papers"documentary director Anne Galisky, had me shocked. I also enjoyed the moment when Mr. Sanchez commented on the hurt and pain the word "illegal" conveys. I strongly believe this word takes away one's humanity and sense of worth.

Perhaps these are the changes Dobbs was referring to: next year the U.S. will be shocked to find out a tremendous increase in the Latino and other minority populations, as well as an increase in undocumented immigrant families settled here. But I think more importantly, one thing will be shocking for sure, and that is the increase in numbers among youth, both documented and undocumented. The immigration movement is certainly being led by some really talented youth in hopes of a better future.

Let's hope next year brings us better news and a final chapter in this immigration debate.

A Mexican in Chicago

2009-10-30T11:33:00.000-07:00

For years now, I have enjoyed this song from Sting, "Englishman in New York."

I didn't really pay attention to the lyrics as much as I should have probably. But the following lines always stood out whenever I heard it:

I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York

Seems pretty clear to me, a documented English immigrant living in New York. Perhaps the reason it resonated with me is because the first time I heard it, I was living in New York too. The legal or documented part however, did not apply to me.

Recently my Ipod played it over and over again in shuffle mode. And I reminisced about my years in New York and now my life in Chicago, fourteen years later. I googled the lyrics and these verses really caught my attention:

If, "Manners maketh man" as someone said
Then he's the hero of the day
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself no matter what they say

Indeed, living as an undocumented immigrant in this country takes lots of courage. The issue here is that, documented or not, one's culture and ethnicity is always under the scrutiny of mainstream Americans. Unfortunately for us, mainstream America in the media seems to be the epitome of ignorance.

The latest person to embodied that was Bob Griese, who last week made an inappropriate remark about Nascar's driver Juan Pablo Montoya.

Then again, undocumented immigrants who simply come here to thrive as it should be, simply have to be the bigger man or woman, walk away and be themselves.

"Fronteras del Amor Pt. 2"

2009-10-13T21:18:00.000-07:00

"It's only nine numbers", said the person on stage. "You cannot allow these numbers to define who you are", she added.

That has been the story of my life since I realized that I lacked a social security number. I thought, I have two choices, wait until by the grace of GOD, whom I have yet to meet, receive a social security card and begin my journey or, take the chisel and start carving my own journey and see what happens.

I chose the latter. I have to admit that not having those nine digits define part of my identity made things more difficult. Friends, relationships, and just about everyday things have been shaped by this simple fact.

On the other hand, I am happy and content that decided not to wait around for those nine digits to shape my future. I feel American. I feel successful and couldn't ask for more.

After all, it's only nine digits that would take me yet to another level of bliss. I have achieved a lot without them and I'm sure I can continue to do so.

It is I, the und9cumented, wh9 shapes his destiny and n9t the 9ther way ar9und.

"Fronteras Del Amor"

2009-10-04T20:14:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, here in Chicago, I was fortunate to attend an outstanding performance by Teatro Americano. This presentation was a collaborative effort by Latinos Progresando. A local, grassroots organization that assists undocumented immigrants on issues of immigration and social justice.

The play was a concoction of social issues, ranging from healthcare, immigration, and the impact of gang violence in youth. The stories had been written by local youth from the Pilsen neighborhood in Chicago. The characters carried out the plot and really made an impact in the audience. I was engulfed by emotions ranging from sadness, anger, frustration and happiness.

I was mainly moved by a character named "Marisol". She is an undocumented teenager about to finish high school and considering college. She takes care of her grandfather and little brother, who is being lured by the local gangs. I could relate to Marisol's will to endure and go forth, despite the barriers placed all around her. I was moved and motivated seeing the performance and knowing that the play adds a much needed voice to the thousands of lives across the nation. It was indeed a lout statement on behalf of the voices that are silently and patiently waiting a DREAM to become a reality.

Once the play was over, they had a Q&A with the cast and two Korean youth activists, whom I'm proud to have met(I'm keeping their names anonymous for privacy). Both of these Dreamers are doing really amazing and inspiring work at the Korean American Resource and Cultural Center in Chicago. Both LP and KARCC had previously collaborated during the DA day of Action, on September 23rd.

I was surprised to learn that most of the people in the audience did not know a lot about the DREAM Act. It's very unfortunate that many people within our communities does not know the hardships some youth and families face. I'm very glad that this type of organizing and social awareness is continuously growing, raising awareness about the DA and CIR.

Overall, it was also therapeutic seeing someone take the stage vocalizing and re-enacting my worries and anxieties as well as my resiliency. I cannot thank enough the cast of Fronteras del Amor and the students who poured their emotions writing the stories behind the play.

In Freddie Mercury's words, "the show must go on."

"Life, liberty and the pursuit of undocumented immigrants"

2009-09-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

One of the most famous passages from the American Declaration of Independence reads:

"We hold these Truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Unfortunately for us, the latter value seems to have slowly, and drastically changed to "the pursuit of undocumented immigrants."

American Apparel has been one great example of a thriving American business, supporting a comprehensive approach to immigration. But, as the New York Times reports, after a federal investigation "the clothing maker with a vast garment factory in downtown Los Angeles is firing about 1,800 immigrant employees in the coming days ."

My problem with the Time's article is that despite writing a good story on the troubling and unjust subject of immigration, the writer and editor continue utilizing the word "illegal" all over.

Well, exactly how are nativist, and hard headed right-wing nuts, supposed to get past this insignificant word, if even a newspaper like the times can't use an alternative, less damaging and accusatory word like that?

It's like saying a "murderer" is a murderer, and deserves punishment, even if he/she killed in self defense. Of course is not the same!

For the narrow minded, the emphasis is on the word "illegal". They see this and nothing else. All the human traits and qualities disappear. I don't have to write more on the subject, this is how wars have been formulated and shoved down people's throats.

So, the Times's article states, "Jesús, 30, originally from Puebla, Mexico, said he was hired 10 years ago as a sewing machine operator, then worked and studied his way up to an office job as coordinating manager." I know exactly what the comments will read, blah, blah, blah, "illegal." Again, the writer quotes Jesus, 'I learned how to think here,' said Jesus, who would not reveal his last name because of his illegal status."

Thank you for this backhanded article, New York Times. If you wanted to stir up emotions, you certainly did. If you wanted to get empathy from nativists, challenge bigotry and xenophobia, I highly doubt it.

Even more unfortunate is that because of a simple word, these injustices continue happening daily and efforts like Dov Charney's, the company's chief executive, go wasted and unappreciated.

Mr. Charney, as the Times reports, "has campaigned, in T-shirt logos and eye-catching advertisements, to “legalize L.A.,” by granting legal status to illegal immigrants, a policy President Obama supports."

And speaking like a true pro-immigrant and as someone who still believes the above lines, Mr. Charney says, "The firings “will not help the economy, will not make us safer”. “No matter how we choose to define or label them,” he said, illegal immigrants “are hard-working, taxpaying workers.”

And I firmly believe him. We are humans and we are here because we value the above named values as much as the person next door. But, as long as that scapegoating term keeps haunting us, we will not succeed and nothing will change. The pursuit of immigrants will continue.

Do whatever you can to end using the term "illegal." The next generation will thank you.

Staying awake

2009-09-19T22:43:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that when I decided to start a blog, I had no idea it meant a huge commitment. I have seldom struggled finding topics to write or comment about. More importantly, I feel a constant frustration because politicians, including President Obama, continue playing "good 'ol Washington politics", completely ignoring the pain and damage done to families and individuals who have come here simply to work and nothing else.

As time passes, I feel that notion of limbo luring me back again. Every now and then, I contemplate returning to my home nation. I imagine and see people thriving and living a life full of happiness and carefree. But then I realize that family means everything to me. I cannot imagine a life away from my loved ones. Those who have given me the strength and will to succeed and become somebody in this great nation. Every Dreamer knows what I'm talking about. It's not a good feeling, but i happens.

On the other hand, I hate to think that another year will go by and nothing will be accomplished for the DREAM Act or CIR. I truly want to believe that something will be done soon. My hope for the future of this nation lies in the thousands of Dreamers who are eager to make a better future for themselves. They will rise and fuel the progress that is much needed in these dire times.

I wish for that and nothing else.

The need to grow and organize.

2009-08-29T22:34:00.000-07:00

Having not internet for almost two months made it hard to comment on what's been happening in the immigration reform and Dream Act movement. However, there's something I have been able to notice related to the above mentioned. Online support and activism seems to have shown good results halting orders of deportations of young and successful Dreamers.

First it was Walter Lara , then Taha, after that Herta and now Alonso. But why do we continue to go about this the wrong way??? It seems that we are acting on this issues after they have occurred or simply put, as a small response to a deep issue, that of immigration.

I'm deeply concerned that every week news of another unjust deportation, action alerts and e-mails start coming in urging me to act. I feel frustrated and powerless knowing that ICE a so-called though sheriff are rampantly on the prowl jailing honest and hardworking people. And I also feel upset and disappointed because DHS Secretary Napolitano and President Obama continue to turn a bind eye to these injustices.

The immigration movement has lost a friend in Senator Kennedy (1932-2009)-may he rest in peace. We cannot allow ourselves to continue simply putting small bandages to this huge wound that is the immigration system. These deportations continued to be an everyday reality for many.

As much as I rejoice knowing that the above mentioned Dreamers have been allowed to stay, and have their cases reviewed, I whish for a time where all pro-immigration reform groups would come together and make the final push that is needed. I'm confident that we will continue to have Senator Kennedy's support, even from afar.

Please sing Alonso's on-line petition to stop his deportation.

After Harvard, then what?

2009-07-31T15:54:00.000-07:00

This is another great story about one successful undocumented immigrant who dared to challenge the status quo of undocumented youth. Illegal status gives Harvard grad few options--The Boston Globe.

Here's the story of Alan, a successful and intelligent young immigrant. His family has lived in the U.S. for over 20 years. He grew up in a poor neighborhood and overcame family challenges. He demonstrated an eagerness for learning and a thirst for success, both traits of any thriving American. Alan's only drawback is that like many of us, he lacks a social security number. Yet, against all odds, Alan rose to success.

After being admitted with a scholarship to Harvard and graduating with a B average, he is now faced with the uncertainty that prevails in all of us. As the article mentions, his options, unless the Dream Act passes soon, are to continue working under the radar or move to Mexico. A place he knows little about.

Undoubtedly, the postponing or deferred deportations of Walter and Taha from ICE have been a successful achievement to the Dream Act movement, stories like Alan's make it necessary to continue the struggle and push for passing the DA and CIR.

Stories as such highlight the potential that dreamers bring to this great nation. We must ensure that more stories like these make to the headlines emphasizing the need to reform immigration. The nativists outnumber us when it comes to making ignorant, racial and obsolete comments about successful stories like this. We must see to it that the human potential and the "courage to be" does not go unnoticed.

Doing the right thing for Walter Lara

2009-07-04T21:56:00.000-07:00

This week was mixed with excitement and worry.

On the one hand, Walter Lara received very good news from DHS, postponing his deportation for another year. It was even more exciting because at the time the news came, it almost coincided with another Independence Day for this great nation. It was very motivating to hear Walter's statements of hope for the passage of the DREAM Act. Undoubtedly, the immigration movement is the civil rights movement our this early century. I also want to commend the great efforts put forth by SWER and other advocacy groups who joined forces to move people and got the attention and support of senators' Bill Nelson (D) and Mel Martinez (R) of Florida, both DREAM Act supporters.

The other news is rather anxiety provoking. I read this article, "Immigrants fighting hard to stay in the U.S." on msnbc.com and then I tried joining the conversation on newsvine . The article at least is an attempt to inform about the struggles undocumented immigrants are having, because we do not qualify for government assistance or benefits, such as unemployment. One sentence was enough to spark the nativist about this piece. The statement, made by a featured person read, "Us illegals, we don't have unemployment." Again, the statement merely tried to convey the fact that undocumented immigrants really have to work hard to support their needs.
However, I noticed that a vast amount of people were making such hateful and extreme remarks about undocumented immigrants. I worry that it is this kind of ethnic paranoia that fuels xenophobia and racism which eventually is believed by bigots and the uneducated lot. I'm afraid that this also leads to such acts like that murder of nine year old Brisenia and her father as they slept in their home in Arizona, or Luis Ramirez's murder in front of his girlfriend, in Pennsylvania.

Let's hope that our president takes notice of this and something is done to tame nativist and xenophobics, who will look at immigrants as scapegoats blaming the economic crisis.

Let's continue educating people on our great economic and cultural contributions to this society.

Big day tomorrow!

2009-06-24T20:33:00.000-07:00

Many of the hopes and dreams all dreamers and proponents of comprehensive immigration reform, will be on the table tomorrow. As the debate nears, the anxiety sets in, yet again. It happens every time. Never fails.

I have just read an editorial on the New York times "Graduation Dreams" about the 500 plus students mock graduation ceremony, held in front of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. While I would have love to go and be part of that, I can't help but feel frustrated. My state, Illinois, is in the middle of a budget crisis. And, while it usually would not bother me, this time around, it's affecting my job and the lives of thousands of people, both documented and undocumented. It really affects all the poor and vulnerable people in the state.

However, I want to be remain optimistic about what will take place tomorrow in our country's Capital. The stage has been set. As the editorial highlights, the time for immigration reform is now. Many Dreamers, are nearing the age limit to qualify and benefit from the Dream Act. I certainly have no hopes in that sense, I am already over the limit. I want to acknowledge that it's actually "the youthful grass-roots advocates," who have inspired me to keep going forward in my advocacy efforts, in support of a fair treatment for all.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring. In the least, I know that today, I have done something. Dream and Act.

Another sad story...

2009-06-07T18:05:00.000-07:00

This is a story from a local newspaper in Tiffin, OH., calling for a demonstration and advocating for humane immigration reform:

" The Sisters of St. Francis are inviting citizens to join them at 2:30 p.m. today outside Seneca County Jail to take a stand for humane immigration reform." (http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/page/content.detail/id/515304.html)

As has been the story of so many immigrants. The man depicted in the story, was simply working to support his family, earned his G.E.D and ESL, while living in the U.S.A for 17 years. His wife's legal status is being questioned as well. Meanwhile, their three children are in limbo and more likely going through the emotional toil in which these stories usually develop.

It's sad that stories like this continue happening right under our noses and nothing seems to be done to prevent the rupture of families. I admire what these religious nuns are doing to alert the community and holding their county officials responsible for the unjust way human beings are being treated.

May comprehensive immigration reform be achieved soon. May ICE be abolished soon.

Reform

2009-06-07T08:45:00.000-07:00

I have been feeling really motivated lately with all the comprehensive immigration reform talk and possible passage of the DREAM Act.

I am specially motivated because I have noticed that just like in the Obama campaign, the youth at the forefront of this movement.

Things are changing again for the better. It's in large part our education and opportunities that give us this advantage. Things our parents may or may not have been able to do or achieve. But it also is a payoff for their courage to move and seek these opportunities for us.
It's not news to say that youth are often strong minded about changing and challenging the status quo. Now, more than ever I can see this in action. Perhaps this movement will grow and accomplish many social inequalities not fully achieved by the youth movement in the 1970's.

When I first joined the Dream Act Portal, I felt a connection with other undocumented immigrant students from other parts of the nation. I no longer felt alone. I, like many others, found a place to vent, participate and have a sense of belonging, but that was not all. Through involvement and networking, I found this site. I started looking at what others were doing to increase awareness about this unjust immigration system and the barriers in place that prevent assimilation, progress and opportunity.

Now more than ever, I have hope. I see a slow but steady pace of change in the institutions of power. I know that there is a lot more to do, but I'm hopeful because I also know there are thousands of us. This gives me hope because together we can change things. After all, reform means "changing things for the better."

That, CHANGE is inevitable...

2009-05-23T12:59:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot lately about this crazy idea of change. Maybe is the Obama craze that still is in the air. Or, it can also be that I had a simple realization about life. The omnipresent, constant, ever occurring idea of change.

This idea comes to me most often when I read negative about immigrants, in the comments section of on-line newsprint. It used to bother me a lot. I thought about how easy it is for a person nowadays to hide behind a screen simply to spew hatred and bigotry all over. But I also thought about how these people live in a world of denial.

I am soon approaching nineteen years in this country, and have a lot to show for it (except what I need the most). I have come to the realization that the change we crave, to the nativists' despair, is inevitable. If I have learned anything about this country's long history of migration as well as from other nations worldwide is that humans are constantly on the move. Entire nations have formed, transformed and disappeared over and over again. There have always been man made frontiers, but the will is stronger than that.

Globalization has simply sped up the process. Now, we move for economic reasons whereas before it was in search of food, land and/or shelter. The fact is that, like it or not, we are here. The next census will prove to the larger society that immigrants continue to arrive in great numbers, aswering the call to progress in this great nation. One can break down each migration wave and find differences in each (some say, well "my great, great, grandfather entereed through Ellis Island and did it legally"). I am not disputing that. The common denominator is that it does not matter where people come from, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, etc., men is on the move.

Whether it was the first wave of immigration traveling on the Mayflower to the most recent migrants risking their lives and hidding from ICE, we are constantly on the move. It is in our human nature to move and seek change, transformation, if you will. This is how history is created. How boring human history would be if it remained unchanged.

Realize that the U.S. is changing. Are you ready? Because I am. Se habla Ingles in 2010.

For the record

2009-04-24T10:37:00.000-07:00

Being off from work today, I spent all morning writing thank you notes and responding to action alerts from DREAM Act support networks. While doing that, I read several stories and opinions about other dreamers and pro-immigrant rights activist.
I notice that in many stories, reports and even the responses by nativist groups, seem to emphasize sympathy or lack of for our stories.

When I ask, demand, support, encourage passing the DREAM Act, I don't do it because I want sympathy from other Americans who are able to call this home, when I can't. As much as they try, they can't put themselves in my shoes or feel my despair.

I do it because when I tell my story, and when I read those stories from those of you who have successfully finished high school and college already, I see the courage and will to thrive. Over and over, I read stories about Dreamers obtaining excellent grades, graduating with high honors, and receiving invitations for scholarships and elite colleges, etc.

I don't need and have never needed an excuse to finish my GED or Master's degree. And I don't feel the need to excuse or apologize myself for being a successful immigrant in this country. I think the same when I read other Dreamers' stories. We are living proof that undocumented immigrants come to succeed in this country. Don't be apologetic but proud for what we have accomplished when many, many born here have not.

My story is not one that should make you feel sad or sorry, on the contrary, it should be one that inspires other Americans and lawmakers to do what is right. I do not need validation for what I have achieved, and I am sorry if our stories of success frighten nativists. "Ignorance is strength," and unfortunately, in that front they have the numbers.

Our stories, are stories of success, not despair. We have achieved it, because we believe in it. Passing the DREAM Act, would add another chapter to our life stories.

Dreaming BIG.

2009-04-16T20:49:00.000-07:00

I have just watched a multimedia report on the drug cartels in Mexico "Juárez: Children in the Crossfire" on the New York Times[ http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/17/world/americas/17prexy.html?hp].

To the people who oppose passing the DREAM Act, I say, drug cartels and those youth easily recruited are a direct effect of living in poverty and having no education or employment to support yourself. Let's be honest, everyone would love to achieve the same goals in life, have a home, a family, a car and all those fancy things you watch and are sold on t.v. or the internet. Unfortunately, the truth is that there are a lot of young people who cannot afford to go to school and prepare themselves for life, therefore choosing a life of crime. These youth are easily lured by those drug dealers who are not less savage than a beast in the wild. They could not care less for the damage they cause to society.The report mentioned above, focuses more on the youth in Tijuana, Mexico. The really sad part is that children as young as 6 or 7 years old are shown on the video witnessing murders and other tragic and traumatic events. They are the future of that society and already conceptualizing a world filled with chaos.

All us Dreamers are asking is, for an opportunity to become fully accepted members if this society and contribute as best we can. We could not afford to wait to be allowed to go to school, and most of us have chosen a career path to achieve our goals. We made that choice in the hopes that it would suffice to have a decent and prosper future.

Many youth and children depend on the outcome of the DREAM Act. We cannot afford to lose more and more youth to poverty, displacement and a life of crime. Act now! Many, many live and futures depend on it.

Spanish TV or telebasura

2009-03-30T21:09:00.000-07:00

It is Sunday morning and I'm watching a sports show on Univision's local station in Chicago. I'm broke and cannot afford to pay for cable or satellite t.v. and I can only access local channels on my t.v. set. Nothing against Spanish t.v., but sports is the only thing I can digest.

During a commercial break, an important announcement appears. There is a woman on the screen urging people to call their Dish Network satellite provider to prevent them from losing their signal from three of the largest Spanish t.v. networks; Univision, Telefutura and Galavision.

I like the fervor in which this woman is urging people to call and demand Dish Network to let their signal intact, or else risk losing watching novelas (soap operas) and other quality shows (her comments, not mine).

At this moment I am both appalled and content. The first, because I could not believe my eyes watching a prime t.v. network use their time and extensive reach to call people to action. Where is this sense of urgency and call to action when it's about immigrant rights??? I don't recall ever seeing something similar urging me to call my senator or state representative to support DREAM ACT or Comprehensive Immigration Reform! Can you imagine the response from the people if Dreamers had access to that media outlet????
Secondly, I was content thinking that losing the signal of those providers would only benefit our communities. I, for one, think that the above t.v. networks combined along with Telemundo do nothing but keeping our communities lagging.

Anyone who has seen any of the forementioned networks knows that all they do is exploit and denigrate women and hypersensualize everything, and as far as journalism is concerned, there is not a single quality program. It is unfortunate that the only quality Spanish network, V-me, is on cable or satellite.

Late morning run.

2009-03-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

Today I went on my first run of the year. I have been an avid runner on and off for about six years. And my biggest achievement was running the Chicago Marathon last year. As I ran along Lake Michigan in Chicago today, I could not help but wonder about the freedoms that can't be taken away from us.

You can run and feel how the wind hits you in the face, yet it does so in a soft, tender way. You bathe in the air that rushes through your lungs, making it all the easier to keep your pace. The sun keeps you warm, awake and motivated. It's mid-March in Chicago, otherwise it would be way too hot to enjoy a late morning run. As you run, you also can enjoy the view of the magnificent Lake, the harbors and the landscape. All calm and tranquil, as to inviting you to look at and contemplate it.

Not being a religious person, I even wondered if, He had meant for everything that surrounds us to be that pleasant and free to enjoy.

Then again, I also thought about the people that have been put behind bars for no reason other than wanting to feed and clothe their families. As I type this, at the local public library, a small crowd is dispersing from an earlier gathering demanding an immediate STOP to the RAIDS!

The hope is still there. Something good will come. For now, enjoy anything and everything that you can. And don't take anything for granted.

Stop the raids, NOW!

2009-02-25T20:36:00.000-08:00

I read this article on a tip from the Immigrant Freedom Network, http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/808563.html

I hope, as the article suggests, that ICE is held accountable for continuing with these ineffective immigration policies.

28 people have been separated from their loved ones. 28 people have experienced a traumatic event and will develop psychological, and emotional stress over it. Meanwhile, the country's economy continues to deteriorate. These raids do nothing except to exacerbate the financial future and stability of entire families and cities across America.

Something has to be done. We cannot allow for more families to suffer through these traumatic experiences and we must raise our voice to condemn these ineffective policies that achieve nothing to fix the immigration problem.

Go-gettter.

2009-02-06T22:03:00.000-08:00

I remember that since I was 7 years old, I began to do things on my own and I was pretty independent. My mother was often busy taking care of other things at home. My father had been away in the U.S. for quite some time. My older brothers and sisters were also busy with school or work. So being a go-getter, I decided I wanted to learn swimming. I went ahead and I registered for free swimming lessons, and for English lessons as well. It felt good to know I was able to do things on my own.
Things didn't change much when I came to the U.S. Once I moved here I decided I wanted to learn English fluently and I did. I wanted to continue going to school and I have. There is a sense of accomplishment I have, having achieved these dreams. To this day I continue to swim when I have the chance, and I use English as much as I do Spanish nowadays.
There's this feeling that I am lacking something however. And the problem I see is that I have been able to get things I want by no giving up and really striving to achieve them.
It is one thing to work hard for something that you know in the end you will get, such as a degree. It is another, when your fate lies in the hands of politicians and lawmakers that can easily be bribed and bought by lobbyists.
It is when my plans to be a fully integrated member of this society are in the hands of others that I feel frustrated. Because no matter how much I want it, and how much of a go-getter I am, it's really up to them.
And yet, I also feel like nothing has been in vain.

Is she for real???

2009-02-03T20:19:00.000-08:00

About a month ago I heard this story on "This American Life" on NPR. I can't recall the name of the story but what made it interesting was that a female voice personified America. She (America) called countries overseas such as France, Irak and China to make amends after not receiving support for the War and such.

Yesterday I felt the same way about America. After all these years here and feeling in limbo, I suddenly feel like I a boyfriend who has committed a long time to a relationship and still doesn't know if it's going to work out in the end. I feel that America teases me provokingly to stay here. And when she does that everything is swell and joyful and I really can picture myself establishing my residence here and raising a family. After all I feel I have done everything to entice America to accept me. Not only for who I am, but for all I have been able to achieve.

Other times, it just feels like America is just playing me and taking all I got to give while I still can, only to discard me and finding a youthful replica of me; then I'm sad, angry and upset. Is at these times when I really want to confront America and find out if this really is worth waiting for. I want to make her understand that is not right to separate me from my family as it has been the case with some people.

And I wan to tell her that people shouldn't have to decide between her and their loved ones being dragged away.

And I wonder upon the future of our relationship.

A Dreamer's Story

2009-01-31T20:19:00.000-08:00

Just another dreamer...

I migrated to this country with my parents and two sisters when I was fifteen years old. We crossed the border between Mexico and the U.S. in Tucson, Arizona. I’m now 32 years old. I have been living here for over seventeen years and my future is still unclear. When I took the journey North with my family, I did not think or was aware that our actions constituted something illegal or breaking the law. My father had made the trek previously and my instincts told me to trust his judgment and decisions. Moving to New York City was not easy for me. If anything, it was a major cultural shock which changed my life. My hometown in Mexico had at the most 20,000 people, a tiny chunk of New York City’s population.

My struggle surviving the American culture started almost immediately. My older brother set me up with a dishwashing job in Manhattan two weeks after my arrival. I worked from 6:00AM until about 3:00PM, and did so for about three years. I felt upset and angry. Sometimes I would feel frustrated because I always enjoyed school and I had been a successful student in grammar school in Mexico. Something inside me longed for learning. After 1 year of my arrival I registered to take ESL classes in a private school. I was only able to afford to attend 1 year. After that, I did not set foot in a classroom for almost five years.

My parents and I moved to Chicago. They dreaded the cold and missed my nieces and nephews. I stayed and soon found my way back to school. I enrolled in a GED program provided by a city college. After one year I presented and successfully passed the GED exam with excellent grades. A Latina woman in that college advised me to pursue more ESL classes and consider taking college credit classes. She encouraged me to apply for a merit based scholarship. I took her advice and in part to my excellent grades and commitment to learn English, I successfully completed my Associate’s Degree in 1998 at that same college. While trying to decide what career path to take I decided to pursue a social service class during my last semester, before graduation. This experience introduced me to the basic principles of social work and human service.

I then applied to two universities and was admitted to both, due in part to my academic achievements. The issue for me at that moment was how would I afford to pay for college? I took a year off from school to save enough money. Once I had enough money to pay in-state tuition I registered at the university. I applied and was accepted for a merit based scholarship, but I was denied due to my status. I had to cover the expenses on my own for my Bachelors degree. I took time off again from school to save money for a graduate program.

I successfully graduated from a Masters program. But, because I attended a private university the costs were much higher than in a public school. I was able to obtain a private loan with a really high interest rate, but this was a minor concern. My real concern is my future. My mother is a legal resident since January, 2000 and she submitted an application for me that same year. I have a graduate degree and despite the fact that I have obtained a career and succeeded academically, I still feel that there is a stigma attached to my degree, and I feel stuck in limbo.

What would anyone else have done if given the choice to follow your family or stay behind and face life alone? I have committed my life to obtain an education because I want to set an example for my family, my community and other immigrants who come here with hope to fulfill a dream.

Migrant Headlines

2009-01-25T13:24:00.000-08:00

While reading the New York times reports on immigration, I came across several individual stories that often go unnoticed. These stories tell the human side of immigrants. I want to acknowledge the people behind those stories. The immigration system in the United States has become an enormous problem with no solution is sight. And while people debate in favor or against immigration reform, hundreds of families are being torn apart everyday. And everyday there are stories of hard working people being picked up by Immigration Customs Enforcement and suddenly taken away from their loved ones; parents, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters. Aren't families the "building block of society"? Are immigrant families less important than other families? Can we put a stop to this?