After a great deal of sustained pressure, major reform advocates like the Reform Immigration For America campaign have already agreed to moving the DREAM Act forward, now. Unfortunately, there are others, like the National Council of La Raza, who are still holding out on the quixotic notion that comprehensive immigration reform has a chance of passing this year, perhaps in the lame duck session. As I’ve written before, this strategy is not only unrealistic, it is dangerous and irresponsible. It is a needless gamble on lives of another generation of unauthorized migrant youth. Anyone who is against passing the DREAM Act, now, is on the wrong side of history.
Sen. Reid is coming to Netroots Nation, this weekend, and while he is here, we are hoping to make the case to him that the time to move forward on the DREAM Act is now. I’ve listed the actions you can take to urge Sen. Reid to bring the DREAM Act up for a vote, now, in this post. In just one day, over 50 people have signed the twitter petition urging him to do so.
The DREAM Now Letters will continue next week, hopefully with good news from Netroots Nation. Meanwhile, I would like to thank all of those who posted both Mo’s and Yahaira’s letters, especially those who have committed to continue publishing these letters in order to raise awareness and build pressure for passing the DREAM Act, now. If you are interested in writing a letter or publishing these letters please contact me at your earliest convenience.
Below is a list of those who are standing on the right side of history in asking for the DREAM Act now by publishing the DREAM Now letters. I will also list publications where the DREAM Now Letters have been mentioned.
DREAM Letters Publishers:
B-Listed
Crooks and Liars
Docudharma
Latina Lista
Latino Politics Blog
DREAM Letters Mentions:
Michigan Liberal
Michigan Messenger
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network
If you are not listed here and would like to be please contact me.
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. Every Monday and Wednesday DREAM-eligible youth will publish letters to the President, and each Friday there will be a DREAM wrap-up. If you’re interested in getting involved or posting these stories on your site, please email Kyle de Beausset at kyle at citizenorange dot com.
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:
Ask Reid to bring the DREAM Act up for a vote now.
- 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
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