For Immediate Release
Juan Escalante 407.602.8675
dreamactmedia@gmail.com and media@thedreamiscoming.com

We cross-post the TDAA Newsletter on the website. To sign-up via email to future newsletters, send an email with "subscribe" in the subject line to info@txdreamactalliance.com. 

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Dear Texas DREAM Act supporter,

This is the first Texas DREAM Act Alliance Newsletter. The Texas DREAM Act Alliance (http://www.txdreamactalliance.com) is an umbrella organization that unites all the Texas DREAM Act Advocacy groups to promote communication, coordinate campaigns and share resources.

We’ll use this newsletter to keep you abreast of state and national developments regarding the DREAM Act, including statewide events, campaigns and steps you can take to promote the passage of the DREAM Act.

The newsletter will include:

-a section for the latest TDAA related news;

-an update on the DREAM Act itself on the federal level;

-a review of immigration related developments in Texas (new laws, restrictions, resources, etc);

-a “TX DREAMie of the Month” section which will highlight the story of a new Texas DREAMer every month;

-and a TDAA Website Spotlight where we will spotlight one of the resources from the TDAA Website.

Let’s get started!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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I. TDAA NEWS

  1. Open TDAA Position

  2. San Antonio DREAM Act Forum

  3. New Chapter – Students for the DREAM Act (Beaumont, TX)

  4. TDAA Facebook Page 

II. DREAM Act Update

III. Texas Immigration Update

IV. Texas DREAMie of the Month

V. TDAA Website Spotlight

  1. Getting a New Mexico Driver’s License

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I. TDAA NEWS

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1. Open TDAA Positions

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TDAA is strictly a volunteer run organization, so we are soliciting applications for the following volunteer position:

(1) TDAA Blogger Position: Must be able to regularly update the website blog (3+ times a week) with updates regarding: (a) DREAM Act and/or other immigration Texas news and developments, (b) Post reviews of TDAA and TDAA affiliated events on the website, (c) Other TDAA related news or updates. This position will also responsible for retrieving articles from other contributors and posting them on the website.

Strong English skills, timeliness required. Familiarity with blogging preferred but not necessary. This is a volunteer position with big responsibilities. Time commitment = 3-5 hours / week.

If you’re interested, please send an email to info@txdreamactalliance.com with a paragraph on why you think you’d be well suited for the position.

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2. San Antonio DREAM Act Forum

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“Students United for the DREAM Act, SUDA, a student organization based out of St. Mary's University in San Antonio, TX, held a DREAM Act Forum on Friday, November 20 at the University Center. 

Dream Act advocates, Maricela Martinez and Maribel Falcon traveled from nearby Austin to attend and participate in the forum. They both shared their personal stories of how and why they became involved in the DREAM Act advocacy movement, and how much the DREAM Act meant to them.”

To read more, click here:

http://www.txdreamactalliance.com/news/students-united-for-the-dream-act-forum/

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3. New Chapter – Students for the DREAM Act (Beaumont, TX)

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There is a new TDAA Chapter that is getting started in the Beaumont, TX Area. The organization is called Students for the DREAM Act and is based out of Lamar University. The organization is registered with the universities and planning a series of activities for this coming year. If you live in the Beaumont area and are interested in helping out, please contact:

Carolina Ramirez
caro_vertpolitico@yahoo.com

Students for the DREAM Act
LAMAR University

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4. TDAA Facebook Page

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If you’re on Facebook, become a fan of our Facebook Page. Get updates via Facebook, check out our picture album and interact with other DREAM Act supporters in Texas.

To check out our Facebook page click here: http://www.tinyurl.com/TDAAFacebook

Or search “Texas DREAM Act Alliance” on Facebook. We have a goal of 500 fans! Help us reach our goal!

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II. DREAM Act Update

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(A) The DREAM Act in CIR ASAP

On December 15^th, 2009, Rep. Gutierrez (D-IL) introduced the Comprehensive Immigration for America’s Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 – called CIR ASAP. Gutierrez’s bill provides a legal pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants (not just DREAMers) in the united states and includes a different version of the DREAM Act.

New provisions of DREAM Act (CIR ASAP Version):

* DREAMers with deportation orders can normalize their status

* DREAMers would be able to apply for residency if they had been employed at least two years prior to application

For a comprehensive overview of the bill download the following PDF:

http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/docs/CIR_ASAP_2009_Summary.pdf

For more updates check out Dream Activist:

http://www.dreamactivist.org/today-rep-gutierrezs-cir-asap/

(B) The DREAM Act (H.R.1751 and S.729)

The DREAM Act, or Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, was introduced once again on March 26, 2009 in the Senate (S. 729) by Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois and in the House (H.R. 1751) by Representative Howard Berman of California.

The bill currently has 32 cosponsors in the Senate and 105 cosponsors in the House; our goal as a coalition is to reach 60 cosponsors in the Senate and 218 cosponsors in the House, so we are about halfway there!

We can happily include Texas Representatives Lloyd Doggett, Charles Gonzalez, Gene Green, Ruben Hinojosa, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Solomon Ortiz, Silvestre Reyes, and Ciro Rodriguez as part of the 105 co-sponsors in the House. If any of these are Representatives are from your district, make sure to thank them for their continued support of the DREAM Act at any opportunity – a call, a fax, a letter, in person at a town hall meeting etc – make sure they know that their action is supported by their constituency!

The bill currently lies in the Senate and House Judiciary committees while awaiting further action. The future of the DREAM Act will partly depend on any upcoming action of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill, which the DREAM Act has been a part of. CIR is expected to be introduced by Representative Luis Gutierrez of Illinois this December.

RIFA, the Reform Immigration for America Campaign, is planning a week of action in January to bring the need for CIR to the forefront of the public. The United We Dream campaign has organized a series of upcoming youth trainings for those really interested in becoming community organizers. If you are interested in participating in the trainings, find more information here:

http://www.communitychange.org/our-projects/firm/imbt

So keep your eyes peeled and your ears open, because the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010 will hopefully see a lot of action on both the DREAM Act and CIR! We’ll keep you posted.

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III. Texas Immigration Update

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The state of Texas has also been impacted by immigration policies, both positive and negative, as of late.

On a positive note, it was announced this fall that the T. Don Hutto detention center near Austin will no longer house immigrant families (though it will still be used for immigrant women). This was brought about by a settlement between Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the American Civil Liberties Union, who sued ICE for the conditions faced by the detained immigrants, especially the children. Hutto, a former medium security prison, was encircled in razor wire, and the immigrants and their children were all made to wear prison uniforms.

The children were restricted access to the outdoors and to equal levels of education they would have received in public school, and were at times separated from their parents. All this is not too surprising once one realizes that Hutto is a private facility, run by the for-profit Corrections Corporation of America.

While this settlement is a step forward, we need to urge the current administration to take further steps in allowing for the humane treatment of immigrant families awaiting pending claims.

On a negative note is the potential spread of 287g to some Texan cities. “Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act authorizes the federal government to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies, permitting designated officers to perform immigration law enforcement functions. Under 287(g), ICE provides state and local law enforcement with the training and subsequent authorization to identify, process, and when appropriate, detain immigration offenders they encounter during their regular, daily law-enforcement activity.”

Instead, 287g has led to a stream of issues greatly affecting many communities. It has led to a recurring situation of racial profiling by local law enforcement, some who target immigrants who appear to be Hispanic and turn a “routine traffic stop” into an immigrant’s worst nightmare – deportation. It has also led to reluctance on behalf of the immigrant community to alert local law enforcement when crimes are committed against them, for fear of retribution regarding their immigration status – information law enforcement agencies under 287g are now privy to. More often than not, 287g drastically changes the life, not of the drug dealer and weapons smuggler who absolutely deserves to be deported, but of the immigrant who has lived here for decades, has no criminal record, and has been a productive member of his community.

On Tuesday October 27^th, the Harris County Commissioner’s Court on Tuesday voted to continue its 287(g) relationship with the federal government for the next 3 years. Irving, Texas follows a similar Criminal Alien Program (CAP).

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IV. Texas DREAMie of the Month

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Every month we spotlight the story of one Texas DREAMie. If you’d like to submit your story for publication in our newsletter, send an email to info@txdreamactalliance.com with the subject “TX DREAMie.” All stories are published anonymously and without names or other identifying information.

I’m an undocumented student in my first year of law school in Texas and people often ask me why I want to be a lawyer. And I always respond by saying “Kris W. Robach.” Kris W. Robach is a law professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and has an extensive history of defending ordinances and laws that target undocumented immigration.

He sued California and Kansas state governments for providing in-state tuition to undocumented students. Additionally, he defended the ordinance that prohibited Farmer’s Brach landlords from renting to undocumented immigrants. Robach uses the law to promote policies that oppress undocumented immigrants.

Robach argues that legislation like Arizona’s Proposition 300, which prohibits undocumented students from obtaining in-state tuition, is a step in the right direction. I lived in Arizona when Proposition 300 passed. Hundreds of undocumented college students lost their scholarships and were forced to pay out-of-state tuition - including me.

These students included over two dozen of my close friends, acquaintances and family. Many of them, stripped of their financial aid and unable to pay the huge costs of out-of-state tuition, dropped out of college. These students grew up in the United States the vast majority of their lives. Many were brought to the United States as infants, have no ties to their home country and are American in language and culture. However, because they were brought over without papers they are classified as undocumented immigrants, have no path to legalization and are stuck in a sort of legal limbo. Even worse, many are caught and deported to countries where they have no family or ties.

For the past two years I have worked with immigrant advocacy organizations across the nation to help DREAMers obtain legal United States residency and in-state tuition. As such, Kris Robach represents and defends beliefs that I, and many others in the immigrant community, find abhorrent, inherently unfair and fundamentally un-American.

I’m attending law school because one day, I want to the anti-Kris Robach.

-J

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V. TDAA Website Spotlight

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Every month we spotlight a different resource on the TDAA website. This month, it’s our guide on how to get a New Mexico Driver’s License.

One of the biggest issues DREAMers face on a daily basis is having valid identification. While Matriculas and Foreign Passports can get you access to most necessities, they arouse suspicion when showed to police and immigration officials. Most states do not allow DREAMers to obtain Driver’s Licenses. New Mexico is an exception. With a NM Driver’s License you can legally drive and have a valid form of domestic identification that won’t arouse suspicion.

The TDAA website has an in-depth, step-by-step guide on how to obtain a NM License including all the relevant documents you may need and steps you have to take. Best of all, if you time it right you can complete it in less than a week.

How to Get a NM License:

http://www.txdreamactalliance.com/nm-license/

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You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the Texas DREAM Act Alliance Monthly Newsletter (http://www.txdreamactalliance.com).

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Students United for the DREAM Act, SUDA, a student organization based out of St. Mary's University in San Antonio, TX, held a DREAM Act Forum on Friday, November 20 at the University Center. 

Dream Act advocates, Maricela Martinez and Maribel Falcon traveled from nearby Austin to attend and participate in the forum. They both shared their personal stories of how and why they became involved in the DREAM Act advocacy movement, and how much the DREAM Act meant to them. 

Falcon, a student at Austin Community College, shared the story of having met a student who had graduated from the University of Austin's engineering program, and how surprised she was to learn that, despite his prestigious degree, he was unable to pursue his career and forced to work in a low-skilled job. "You would think that having that kind of degree would guarantee a great job, for most it does, but for DREAM Act students it's different." she said, "Instead he was denied major job offers because of his situation and found work as a dishwasher. His story inspired me to learn more about this issue as there are many other students who are in this very same position".

Such stories motivated Falcon to speak out for passage of the DREAM Act. 

Martinez, a student at the University of Texas at Austin, shares the same motivation. She spoke about her participation at the annual National DREAM Act Graduation in June of 2009. "Its amazing to see how many students would benefit from passage of the DREAM Act".

Veronica Lopez, who heads up SUDA at St. Mary's and who was the event's primary organizer, was moved to advocate for the DREAM Act after hearing of the story of a St. Mary's alumni, Benita Veliz, who is currently facing deportation to Mexico after having lived in the US for 16.5 years. Lopez felt the situation was unfair and knew she had to do something about it. "Our main goal is to get the word out, to get people to call in and collect signatures of people who agree that we need the DREAM Act." Lopez plans to have a larger forum in the Spring. "This was a smaller forum, but our goal is to get a bigger conversation going here on campus about the DREAM Act and why we need to see it pass.

If you live in the San Antonio area and would like to help SUD promote the DREAM Act, please contact the lead coordiantor at benitaveliz (at) gmail.com"

In preparation for the September 23^rd, 2009 day of action, The Texas DREAM Act Alliance helped coordinate a state-wide DREAM Act Awareness campaign during the month of September.

DREAM Act organizations came out across the state and promoted the DREAM act by tabling at their schools, passing out flyers and recruiting additional members.

In San Antonio, the up-and-coming Students United for the DREAM Act (SUD) tabled on St. Mary’s campus, passed out information about the DREAM Act, gathered petition signatures and recruited new members.  

In Houston, the Houston DREAM Act Coalition independently coordinated a very successful DREAM Act forum.

Taking place September 15^th, the forum had an informational workshop, speakers and brought in the local community to learn more about the DREAM Act. 

In Waco, the TDAA made a presentation and passed out DREAM Act flyers to the entire entering class at the Baylor University School of Law. 

In Austin, the University Leadership Initiative hosted a DREAM Act booth during their campus organization fair, recruited members and increased awareness of the DREAM Act on UT Austin’s campus. 

And other organizations across the state held similar activties as well.

It’s all in preparation for the National DREAM Act Day of Action! For more information click here.

Representatives from the Texas DREAM Act Alliance met with legislative aids from Texas Representative Chet Edwards (D-17) yesterday at his office in Waco.

Members included delegates from the Texas DREAM Act Coalition, Texas Aggies LULAC Council #4893 and others.

 Edwards’ office was very receptive to our position and solicited our opinions and views on a wide variety of issues pertaining to the DREAM Act and immigration reform. We look forward to working with Edwards’ office in the future.

The following are the main points of the meeting:

• Representative Edwards is a supporter of Comprehensive Immigration Reform and would vote for the DREAM Act if it is included as part of CIR
• Representative Edwards agrees with the principles behind the DREAM Act including allowing students to pursue an education beyond college, be treated as equal in the country they grew up in and not punish young adults for choices they did not make
• The legislative aids promised ask Representative Edwards to co-sponsor the DREAM Act if it is brought for a vote as a stand-alone bill or CIR does not pass in 2010 

If you are in the TX-17 District area please take a moment to call the Edwards office and ask them to co-sponsor and vote the DREAM Act.

District 17 Map

Representative Chet Edwards
Waco Office – (254) 752-9600
Washington D.C. Office – (202)-225-6105