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Since the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was rescinded by the administration on September 5th, Congress has limited time to protect dreamers from deportation and pass the Dream Act. DACA has provided nearly 800,000 immigrant youth the opportunity to work, attend school, travel, and pursue their dreams. Congress needs to hear that their constituents support the Dream Act and want to see it enacted.
A "discharge petition" was launched in the House of Representatives yesterday to force a vote on the Dream Act of 2017, which would provide a permanent legislative solution and pathway to citizenship for dreamers around the country. Overwhelming, Members of Congress believe it is wrong to deport immigrant youth.
Our faith and moral light guide us to stand with Dreamers and urge our Members of Congress to take action today.
Sample script: I'm your constituent from [City, State]. I support dreamers and strongly oppose President Trump's decision to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. I urge you to cosponsor H.Res.508, which discharges H.R.1084, the "Today's American Dream Act" and substitutes the text of H.R.3440, the Dream Act of 2017. My community welcomes our immigrant neighbors and calls on you to do everything in your power to protect undocumented youth.
After making your phone call, here are three more actions we invite you to take:
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Faith leaders and faith organizations:
Please
sign on to this faith letter
in support of the Dream Act of 2017. This letter is open to individual faith leaders as well as faith-based organizations.
- Organize a Dream Sabbath: A Dream Sabbath can be dedicated time during a regular weekly worship service to having immigrant youth share their stories and asking congregants to take action in support of the Dream Act, or it can be a vigil, meeting with your Senators and Representatives, etc. The Dream Sabbath toolkit can be found at here (PDF) and here (Word). Please make sure to put your event on this map: bit.ly/DreamSabbathMap by the end of October. For more resources, please visit interfaithimmigration.org/dream.
- Raise your voice on social media: You can tweet your Representatives and @realDonaldTrump: "Faith communities call on [REPRESENTATIVE] to join H.Res.508 & pass #DreamAct! Immigrant youth are #HereToStay"
For further assistance in planning your response actions, please contact: Rev. Sharon Stanley-Rea, Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries Director, [email protected] or 202-957-7826.
Refugee & Immigration Ministries is a ministry of Disciples Home Missions in Partnership with the Christian Church Capital Area and the Disciples Center for Public Witness
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