Saturday, December 16, 2017

BREAKING: Dreamers arrested fighting for the Dream Act

This is the text of an email from Presente Action about the arrests of seven activists at the Capitol on December 15 for sitting in at congressional offices to demand inclusion of the Dream Act in the upcoming federal spending bill. Strangely, no major media seem to have covered this action so far except for Sputnik News, which is connected to the Russian government news agency. For additional coverage, go to Latino Rebels.—TPOI editor
By Presente Action
December 16, 2017
Last night, seven DACA recipients were arrested on Capitol Hill demanding that Congress pass a clean Dream Act as part of the year-end spending bill. Erika, Belen, Cata, Hector, Barbara, Li and Juan Carlos are now in custody and are refusing to identify themselves — attempting to remain in jail — until Congressional leaders confirm that they will block any spending bill without protection for DREAMers.

This is a powerful demand and an unprecedented sacrifice from undocumented youth that needs to be amplified and supported across the country! Will you help?


This is urgent. We have until December 22nd to ensure Congress passes a clean Dream Act and grants permanent protection to undocumented youth as part of the spending bill. And with brave DACA recipients risking deportation in D.C., we are building the momentum to make that possible!

From December 18th-22nd, undocumented immigrants and allies will be taking action in Washington, D.C. and around the country. Can you join an action or organize an action near you?

More than 3 months have passed since the White House repealed DACA, and Congress says there’s no urgency to act by the end of the year. But every day the Dream Act does not pass, undocumented youth are at risk of detention and deportation. Thousands have already lost their work permits, jobs, and sense of safety.

Right now in Washington, D.C., DACA recipients are making a deep sacrifice — staying in jail and risking deportation — as a call to action to the nation. Will you heed their call?

This is the moment to stand firmly with undocumented immigrants. Please join us in D.C. or attend an action near you.

December 18th is the 7th anniversary of when the original Dream Act died in the Senate. The #OurDream alliance is 10 years in the making. We have a real opportunity to make 2017 the year that the Dream Act finally passes. But to win, we need to make tons of noise and demand #NoDreamNoDeal. All the politicians who claim to “stand with the DREAMers” must do more — they must commit to rejecting any spending bill that does not include the Dream Act.

The plan is that Erika, Belen, Cata, Hector, Barbara, Li and Juan Carlos will refuse to identify themselves — attempting to remain in jail — until Congressional leaders confirm that they will block any spending bill without protection for DREAMers. Courageous, undocumented youth are taking on tremendous risk.

Can we count on you to get out there and support them?

Thank you for all you do and ¡adelante!

– Matt, Favianna, Erick, Reetu, Oscar, Erica and the Presente Action team.

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