DACA Digest: September 23, 2017
Curated news from the DACA Time team
Each week, the DACA Time team provides you with curated news and stories related to DACA and immigration to help raise awareness of the problems we’re trying to solve and the people we’re trying to help.
Raising awareness is a crucial component of social impact:
- How can you change something no one knows anything about?
- What support systems already exist for the folks we’re trying to help?
- Where do we see examples of success that inspire us?
- Perhaps most importantly, what victories, no matter how tiny, can we celebrate this week?
Beyond the social enterprise space, beyond those directly impacted by DACA and its far-too-often arduous application process, answering these questions helps us better understand how our actions are all connected.
Dreamer Stories
It might sometimes seem difficult to separate the politics surrounding DACA from the humanity of Dreamers. Just like United States citizens, they are students, engineers, entrepreneurs, and teachers.
Dreamers’ stories are important. It may be easy for some to consider upending the lives of an entire demographic represented in raw numbers and buzzwords; it’s much harder to look another person in the eyes and tell them, “I don’t care about your livelihood; you don’t belong here.”
The subject of Dreamers in the military is often overlooked, but the San Diego Union Tribune profiles the unique situation of Dreamers who serve.
And here are three more stories of Dreamers and how DACA has affected their lives.
DACA Information and News
Industries around the nation are rallying behind Dreamers; they understand the impact of losing their contributions to the collective workforce of the United States. Dreamers are doctors and medical students.
And they make up “the backbone of the fashion industry”.
They’re artists, as well, contributing to the ongoing creative narrative of our country.
Despite Dreamers’ near ubiquity within our society, congress has yet to provide any concrete indication of when — and how — it will act on the DACA rescission, leaving many confused and uncertain regarding their futures.
Legislative Updates
Recent polling would seem to fly in the face of congressional uncertainty, with overwhelming popular support for the DREAM Act.
Members of congress around the country continue to call for its passage, such as Senator Masto of Nevada.
And some of the nation’s largest corporations continue to vocally support a legislated solution.
Unfortunately, the parties seem divided on how protections for Dreamers should be codified, as well as whether the bill should be “clean” or bundled with border security measures.
Services and Support
Rhode Island recently announced plans to pay for the DACA renewal fees for every Dreamer in the state, hopefully precluding the need for its residents to apply for scholarships or loans.
DACA Time’s home city of Columbus is hosting its first free DACA renewal clinic, organized by a new, Dreamer-led organization, Immigrant Alliance Ohio.
The organization has also launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to help raise funds for the renewal application fee.
And if you’re preparing to renew DACA or attending a renewal clinic, you’ll want to check out the ILRC’s renewal process tips (as well as the linked renewal checklist) prior to starting the process.
DACA Time is here to help. Please let us know how we can best support your communities during this troubling time. We’d love to hear from anyone who has ideas or needs, and you can reach out to us on Facebook or through the contact information you can find on our website.
