Catholic Week of Action for the DREAM Act

From Justice for Immigrants (USCCB):

Catholic Week of Action for the DREAM Act

Take Action!
Send your Senators and Representatives a message asking them to support the DREAM Act

Background:
If enacted, the DREAM Act would create a pathway through which undocumented immigrant students could obtain conditional permanent residency and, ultimately, American citizenship. Under the legislation, certain students would be eligible for conditional permanent residency if they meet certain criteria, including: entering the United States before age 16; living in the U.S. for at least five continuous years immediately before the bill becomes effective; graduating from high school or gaining admission into an institute of higher education; having "good moral character" and not committed certain crimes; and being younger than 35 when the bill becomes effective. Students must also demonstrate that they have not been under a final order for deportation. After a six year period of conditional permanent residency, these individuals could apply for citizenship if they had continued to demonstrate "good moral character," continued to live in the U.S. , and completed at least two years of higher education or served at least two years in the military.

The DREAM Act has always had strong bipartisan support, and the U.S. Catholic bishops have been long standing supporters of the legislation.

The DREAM Act would make a difference in the lives of undocumented youth who were brought to the United States by their parents and now, because of their lack of legal status, face obstacles to their future. By removing such barriers, the DREAM Act permits immigrant students to pursue a promising future through college education or military service. Those benefitting from the DREAM Act are talented, intelligent and dedicated young people who know only the U.S. as their home.

More information about the DREAM Act may be found at www.justiceforimmigrants.org/learn-issues.html

While the Justice for Immigrants campaign continues to work for the passage of comprehensive immigration reform, JFI is also engaging in the effort to grow more support in Congress for the DREAM Act. Passage of the DREAM Act could provide the momentum needed to advance immigration reform legislation, but we need lawmakers in Washington , DC to act swiftly on the measure. Indeed, a limited number of weeks remain in the current session – which goes through the first week in October and includes a mid-November for a “lame duck” session – as our windows of opportunity to move the DREAM Act, and federal lawmakers will act only if they hear from you.

To promote Congressional action on the DREAM Act, the U.S. Catholic bishops will be sending letters to Capitol Hill expressing their support of the legislation. We urge you to act in accordance with the Bishops by participating in a Catholic Week of Action for the DREAM Act and send the alert below to your Senators and Representative and asking them to co-sponsor or publicly support the DREAM Act.

Click on the “Take Action” button above or go to www.justiceforimmigrants.org to take part in the Catholic Action for the DREAM Act.