FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Nov 17th 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Mohammad: Cell 734.262.9705 or mo@dreamactivist.org

Undocumented Youth Risk Arrest Asking McCain for Opportunity to Serve

Six undocumented youth travel from across America to ask Senator John McCain to co-sponsor the DREAM Act so that they can serve and protect this nation.

November 17th, Washington D.C. – Today six undocumented youth arrive at their destination in Capitol Hill, the office of Senator John McCain, to once again ask for his support of the DREAM Act.

The DREAM Act is a bi-partisan piece of legislation that would grant conditional status to undocumented youth who complete at least a 2-year college degree or enlist to serve in the military. The bill currently has 40 co-sponsors in the Senate, including Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), and 133 in the House.

One of the youth, Guillermo says he came to McCain’s office today because he looks up to the Senator, “Not too long ago, Senator McCain was a champion, he supported and rallied for us. I look up to him as a war hero and I am only asking him to give me the same opportunity he had to serve and protect this nation, I want to be a Marine.”

"We risk it all because young people like ourselves love this country and can no longer wait on the side lines, we want to serve our communities." says Gaby Pacheco, a DREAM Act student who participated in the Trail of Dreams a 1,500 mile walk from Miami to Washington D.C. to show the face of immigrants across the nation.

“I am queer, I am undocumented, and I am unafraid. Today I am in our nation’s capitol asking Senator John McCain to take a stance in support of the DREAM Act, to support those of us who want to be educators or those of us who are willing to die for this nation.” Jorge Gutierrez is one of the five main characters in the documentary film “Papers: Stories of Undocumented Youth.” The film has been viewed by over 100,000 people in all 50 states. It chronicles the challenges undocumented youth face as they turn 18 without legal status. www.papersthemovie.com

In recent days an effort has been made by many Republicans to push for the only immigration legislation which has a chance of passing during the lame duck session. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart recently stated: “We should stop hampering these deserving students’ educational opportunities due to the decisions of their parents and allow a vote on the American DREAM Act.”

In a September letter to Senator McCain Secretary of Defense Robert Gates wrote: “I support this initiative and appreciate your continued efforts to bring about this important policy change.” With the same hope, these students now approach Senator McCain asking for his support for the passage of this bill this session.

The six students will be arriving at McCain’s office around noon and plan to stay until Senator John McCain puts forth his support of the DREAM Act.

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Undocumented Student from Harvard may be Deported

Undocumented student from Harvard University was detained at a Texas airport last week and is facing deportation to Mexico.

Eric Balderas was brought to the US by his parents when he was 4 years old. Balderas said he had lost his Mexican passport and tried to board the flight using his Matricula consular (consular card) from the Mexican government and his student identification. "I'd made it through before so I thought this time wouldn't be any different," Balderas said Friday in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "But once ICE picked me up I really didn't know what to think." Balderas was handcuffed, fingerprinted and detained for five hours before being let go, and taking a flight back to Boston. He has used his Mexican passport in the past but said he recently lost it.

Balderas had the fear, that many students across the nation live with, stare him in the face. Balderas like many undocumented youth considers the US his home country and doesn't even remember living in Mexico.

A year ago Drew Gilpin Faust, Harvard president, urged Congress to support the Dream Act, federal legislation that would allow immigrant youths to apply for legal residency, under certain conditions. Faust recently met with US Senator Scott Brown, in part to urge him to support the measure.

Read the full story:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/06/12/us_may_deport_harvard_student/
http://www.newser.com/tag/53094/1/eric-balderas.html

Recommendation to undocumented youth:
-Make sure you get your passport

Consumidor Consiente

Hi. So Yeimi is back and she hopes to make this a habit. Fui de compras hoy esperando encontrar algo pero nada. Fui a varias tiendas en el centro de compras en Downtown Sacramento y luego al de Arden, otro centro que esta a varias cuadras de hay. Hoy tome una desision. La desision que sere una consumidora consinte. Tome esta desision mientras estava para en medio de la tienda de Forever 21 con 40-50 personas al rededor de mi con sus miradas perdidas en las miles y miles de prendas, jollas, sapatos y sapatillas en la tienda. Desde que entre a la tienda una vosesita me desia, " Cuanto es que le pagaron al la jente que cosio y asemblo todo esto?" " Las mujeres y los hombres en esos sweatshops comparten una historia similar a la de mis padres y del resto de mi familia." Las cinco prendas que tenia en mi mano estavan muy bonitas, y baratas pero por algo era que esa vosesita me estava dando lata!

Empese a hoir mis propios consejos y actuar deacuerdo a lo que predico. Deje las prendas colgadas de un mostrador y me sali...y me fui a Macys.

Consume consientemente.

http://www.newdream.org/marketplace/clothing.php

http://www.greenamericatoday.org/pubs/realgreen/articles/nosweatshops.cfm

Asta Pronto,

Subcomandante

PS Boycott forever 21

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/liz-black/boycott-forever-21_b_147973.html