Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
Check out this video message from MOdreamers to hear why DACA matters and why this fund is so important!
Statement from MOdreamers, December 2020
We applaud the decision made by Judge Garaufis on Friday which ordered the government to fully restore DACA. The government has to update all of their websites by today to state that they will begin to accept new DACA applications, non-emergency advance parole and restore work permits to two-year limits!
There continues to be a battle over DACA, so we must act now to ensure DACA recipients are protected! For first time applicants, who have lived without protection thus far, time is of the essence. Expensive fees continue to be a barrier for many. We need your help to reach our goal of $10,000 to be able to directly fund DACA recipient fees.
To donate to the St. Louis DACA fund, click here.
Statement from modreamers, november 2020
Dear Friends,
For many, there is a hopeful future that could be ushered in by the November 2020 elections: Joe Biden is the new President-elect with Kamala Harris paving the way as the first female, Black and South Asian American Vice President-elect. We welcome this victory led by Black, Indigenous and Latinx organizers around the country. But even with a Biden-Harris administration on the horizon, the futures of Missouri’s DACA recipients remains uncertain.
More than 3,500 Missouri residents are DACA recipients. For many, DACA is the only available protection from deportation. DACA recipients are our neighbors, friends, colleagues and family. As you join our organizations in the longer fight for legislative justice for all immigrants, we need you to stand with DACA recipients to ensure the fullest welcome and inclusion in our communities as possible.
As the country moves forward and begins to heal the harm inflicted upon our immigrant communities by, not only the Trump administration but also past administrations, the lived experiences of thousands of Missouri residents have not changed. The harmful anti-DACA and anti-immigrant policies of President Trump still govern our existence. Although we expect support, it will be up to us to exercise the collective community power we have built in the last several years to hold the Biden-Harris administration accountable to their campaign promises and our underlying demands to fully restore DACA and enact a permanent solution for all undocumented community members.
The economic hardship resulting from two global pandemics this year that disproportionately impact DACA recipients, their families and all communities of color remains. The pandemic is still taking lives, piling up medical bills and negatively impacting income.
We call on our supporters and allies to help us raise $10,000 by the end of the year to ensure we can respond to the economic needs of DACA recipients in our communities now and those that may become eligible to apply in the future. We want to ensure that no DACA recipient in the St. Louis region is unable to renew their status simply because they can’t pay the fees. The fee is still $495 per application and our organizations will continue to collaborate to provide free support to DACA recipients as needed to complete and submit their renewal applications.
Thank you in advance for donating to St. Louis’ DACA Renewal Fund and for all that you do to bring about the world as we all want it to be: one of love, peace, and justice. Our capacity to build that world depends on us, regardless of counts, percentages, and final results. Our future is up to us.
Sincerely,
MOdreamers, MICA Project, and IFCLA
Summer 2020 Update: supreme court blocks trump in daca decision
On June 18, 2020, the Supreme Court released its decision regarding DACA, with a 5-4 vote IN FAVOR of Dreamers! Though this decision only temporarily protects the nearly 700,000 Dreamers in this country from the current administration’s agenda to shut down the DACA program, it’s a WIN nonetheless. Now, we celebrate and regain energy to continue on in the fight for immigrant rights in this country!
Read more about the SCOTUS DACA decision here!
DREAM Act
Amidst failure to pass legislation on the DREAM Act, and recent repeals of DACA, the current political climate for Dreamers is tenuous and unstable. IFCLA is committed to advocating for the passage of a clean DREAM Act and immigration policy reform.
photo courtesy of NASW.com
What is the DREAM Act and who is eligible?
According to the American Immigration Council (AIC), "the first version of the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act was introduced in 2001. As a result, young undocumented immigrants have since been called Dreamers." The DREAM Act would create a three-step pathway toward citizenship for current, former, and future undocumented high school graduates or GED recipients. The three steps along the pathway to citizenship are 1) Conditional Permanent Residence, 2) Lawful Permanent Residence, and 3) Naturalization. To be eligible for each step of the DREAM Act pathway, individuals must meet requirements regarding: age of entry into the US, DACA status, a clean criminal record, level of education, and commitment to higher education, armed services, or sustained employment.
Has the DREAM Act been passed?
Up to date, various versions of the DREAM Act have been proposed, but none have become law. The AIC notes that bipartisan support has existed for each bill, some versions garnering 48 co-sponsors in the Senate and 152 in the House. To read the most recent proposal of the Act, click here.
How is IFCLA taking action with Dreamers?
IFCLA aims to support and follow the lead of the Dreamers as they advocate for a change in our current policies and laws. In February 2018, IFCLA helped facilitate an interfaith press conference for Dreamers to engage clergy and the wider community in DACA/Dream Act advocacy. In March 2018, IFCLA participated in a public march on Delmar in support of the DREAM Act during a day of statewide demonstrations. IFCLA continues to work alongside the MO Dreamers in both public and personal development of their vision as a young organization. IFCLA continues to partner with community organizations to fundraise and support DACA renewal applications among St. Louis area DACA recipients, including through offering free legal clinics.