Standards of treatment. . .

Monday, while waiting for a decision at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on the deportation case (threat) involving my young friends, Monica and Jose, I listened as they recounted their horrifying experience four years earlier. The two first cousins (their fathers are twins) remembered everything about being taken into custody by ICE officers while attending an end of school party at a farm outside Greenville, Texas.

They were hurried back to Dallas on that Friday afternoon, and before anyone knew what was going on, ICE transported them to a private, for-profit facility, Rolling Plains Regional Jail in Haskell, Texas. I knew all about this experience, or so I thought.

Let's be clear. Entering the US and remaining without proper documentation is a civil law violation, not a criminal act. Still, Monica told me how her captors roughed her up, tried to intimidate her into signing papers she didn't understand, and even handcuffing her very harshly so that they hurt her arms. They lied about how the two family members would be separated and about how her cousin, Jose, had signed the papers in question, also an untruth.

In short, the two then high school students were handled harshly, inappropriately and unjustly.

I asked their attorney why would a person in violation of civil law be handcuffed and treated like this. She told me ICE claims that people like Monica "pose a threat to the safety of the US."

Are kidding me?

So, when ICE "tickets" (that's what they do) business owners who employ undocumented workers, why don't they 'cuff them? Why not haul them off to an incarceration facility over 200 miles away? If it's good for the kids, why not the adults?

And what about bail? Our young friends had to put up a $50,000 bond in cash to get out of that Haskell jail. They were able to come up with it thanks to one of our board members who's stuck with them all the way.

Justice?  Hardly.

What are expected standards of treatment for young people brought to the US by their parents as small children?

How is jail time even possible?

Shackles?

Handcuffs?

 Intimidation?

Surely not here.

No, sadly, yes, here.

We're studying the matter. Stay tuned.

We think we can change the policy back of this kind of behavior.

Part of the process is to simply inform rational, fair-minded people.  You are out there, right?

Tears for the children. . .

Yesterday was a day of tears for me.

Owen, my third grandchild, went off to Kindergarten!  I expect his parents shed a tear or two.  I know I did just looking at his photograph!  Time gets away so quickly.  Everything changes so fast. 


Then, Gracie and Wyatt, two of my other grandchildren, went off to 4th and 2nd grade respectively.  I bet a tear or two rolled down a cheek over at that household as well.  Again, I confess, my eyes filled up as I viewed their photo. 

Sweet children!  Blessings, every one beyond words.  And, I didn't even mention little Henry--his time will come! 

But, there were other tears as well.

My day began in the office of a great immigration attorney as we prepared to deliver two other children from two other families to the office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) here in Dallas.  These other young people had to appear for consideration of deportation.  [Again, if you are interested, use the search tool above and type in "Monica" and "Jose" to read more about them and read my post from two days ago.]

As we prepared to leave for the drive to ICE, these families melted into each others' arms.  The tears flowed like a river.  Parents telling their children good-bye, not knowing what would happen to them next. 

Thankfully, the Executive Order issued last Thursday by President Obama provided the platform my young friends needed to see their "stay of orders" documents accepted by the ICE officials. 

What a grand relief we experienced.  Reunited with family members, the tears flowed again!

These young people are so wonderful.  So eager for a better life.  So willing to learn.  So ready  for greatness.  So wanting to make a difference in and for their nation, the only country they've ever known, having come here with their parents when they were very small children. 

I came away from the day considering the stark contrast in the reason back of all of the tears.  I also realized that the tears were all really the same.  They came from loving parents, grandparents and siblings.  Good tears, as it turned out. . . at least for now. 

DREAM Act: Economic benefit to nation

To read a comprehensive report on the positive economic impact of the
D. R. E. A. M. Act click here.

This reform legislation will benefit all of us, including thousands of young people here in Dallas with whom we work.

". . .I was a stranger and you welcomed me. . ." Jesus (Matthew 25).

A dad just like me, almost

He called me a couple of days ago.

Somehow he had found his way to this page and to my posts on immigration.

More particularly, he was intrigued by our discussion of the "Dream Act," pending legislation that would open a way for the undocumented children of undocumented immigrants to remain in the United States so long as they continued their education or joined the U. S. Armed Forces and exhibited the traits of "good moral character."

He seemed eager to tell his story and that of his family.

He had three children, all of whom came to the U. S. years ago when he and his wife over-stayed their work permits. They had lived without proper documentation for well over a decade.

His oldest son is a graduate of Texas A & M University, but cannot work because he has no documentation. The other two children are great students, the youngest he characterized as "the smartest of all."

"I don't want my children to have to live like I have. I tell them that they are living in paradise without the ability to really be involved," he said.

Obviously, he was wanting to see the Dream Act passed into law so that his children could stay in the country and make their contributions to our national life.

Talking to him a couple of realizations washed over me.

First, the responsibility for the situation facing this man and his family is his, but only in part. All along the way in his American journey, opportunity after opportunity to apprehend, detain and deport this family were not just missed, they were intentionally ignored by employers and various federal officials. This man and his family were allowed--better, they were encouraged--to stay, to work and to contribute.

Second, why on earth would we not want a man and a family like this one to stay in our country?

We need the Dream Act and we need comprehensive immigration reform.

Surely we are smart enough to ignore the hatred and just do the right thing for everyone involved.

You can make a difference today!

Today, again, I am asking you to personalize the letter below and FAX it today to your two U. S. Senators.

Once you have done that, follow up by calling the office of each of your two Senators expressing support for the “Dream Act.”

Then, drop your letter in the mail. You will find all the information you need to contact your Senators embedded in the attached letter.

The Dream Act needs to be voted on and passed by the U. S. Congress. This effort today targets the U. S. Senate.

This legislation will provide legal status to the children of undocumented immigrants who brought their children to the U. S. years ago when they were very young. Most of these children have been in the U. S. for much longer than 5 years. Our country is the only home most have ever really known.

The Dream Act would provide temporary legal status to any child of undocumented immigrants who 1) completes high school or its equivalent, 2) enrolls in a two or four-year institution of higher education and/or 3) enlists in the U. S. Armed Forces and 4) has displayed good moral character while living in the U. S.—in other words, no criminal activity.

These young people would be granted legal status and would no longer live in fear of deportation.

Our nation has already made a serious investment in the lives of the vast majority of these students who have been educated in our schools. What a benefit to our nation to see them stay here and complete their education and possibly seek citizenship in the U. S. after the completion of college.

Please help me by taking action today! Call me if you have questions.

Best regards,

Larry James
President and CEO
Central Dallas Ministries
214.823.8710 ext 116

Here is the suggested letter for your use and adaptation:

Date

Honorable [Senator’s name]
U. S. Senate
[Capitol Address—go to: http://www.theorator.com/senate.html to find specific address and FAX numbers for your Senators]
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator [last name]:

Please lend your immediate and determined support to the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act).

As you are aware, this bill has been in discussion in the Congress for the past several years. It was included as a part of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 that recently failed before the Congress.

This piece of legislation deserves to be considered as soon as possible by the entire Senate.

The children of undocumented aliens, brought to the United States by their parents years ago, who have displayed high moral character and who desire to continue their formal education beyond high school or who desire to enter the U. S. Armed Forces deserve the protection and advantages of being given legal status so that they can remain in the United States without fear of deportation.

Currently, there is continuing and growing interest in attaching the bill to some other legislation so that it can be voted on and hopefully enacted on its own merits.

We need your help today.

Please urge your colleagues in the U. S. Senate to act on this matter as soon as possible.

Thank you for considering my point of view.

Sincerely,


Your name
Any Title
_____________________

If you have the time, leave a post here reporting on when you sent your letter and from what state.

Thanks for your help!

Help us pass the Dream Act!

Last Monday morning, we accompanied our friend Jose to Immigration Court here in Dallas, Texas.

Fortunately, the judge granted a continuance for his deportation case to November 5, 2007.

As we left the Federal Courthouse, Jose's attorney told us, "We've got to get the Dream Act passed. It is Jose's most realistic chance to avoid deportation."

Please help me by standing with Jose and Monica and millions of other promising young people who were brought to the United States by parents years ago when they were only children. Jose and Monica want to go on to college and they want to do so with the proper documentation.

Please help me by reading on. . . .

Background to the "American Dream Act"

Every year, U.S. high schools graduate approximately 65,000 immigrant students. Brought to this country as young children, they have grown up in American K-12 schools and share our culture and values. Like their U.S.-born peers, they dream of pursuing higher education.

Unfortunately, due to their immigration status, they are barred from the opportunities that make a college education affordable – in-state tuition rates, state and federal grants and loans, most private scholarships, and the ability to legally work their way through college. In effect, they are denied the opportunity to share in the American Dream.

If passed, the “Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act,” S. 774, a bipartisan federal proposal led by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and Richard Lugar (R-IN), would facilitate access to college for immigrant students in the U.S. by restoring states’ rights to offer in-state tuition to immigrant students residing in their state.

The “DREAM Act” would also provide a path to citizenship for hardworking immigrant youth who were brought to the U.S. as young children and to pursuing higher education or military service, enabling them to contribute
fully to our society.

Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL),
and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) introduced a similar proposal, the “American Dream Act,” H.R. 1275, in the U.S. House of Representatives.

What Do These Bills Do?

The “DREAM Act” provides an opportunity for U.S.-raised students to earn U.S. citizenship. The “DREAM Act” would allow certain immigrant students to adjust their status to that of a legal permanent resident on a conditional
basis for six years based on the following requirements:

• Age. Immigrant students must have entered the U.S. before age 16.


• Academic requirement. Students must have been accepted for admission into a two or four-year institution of higher education or have earned a high school diploma or a general educational development (GED) certificate at the time of application for relief.


• Long-term U.S. residence. Students must reside in the U.S. when the law is enacted. In addition, those eligible must have lived in the U.S. for at least five years preceding the date of enactment of the Act.


• Good moral character. Immigrant students must demonstrate good moral character, a defined term in immigration law. In general, students must have no criminal record.

In addition, the conditional basis upon which legal permanent residence was granted will be removed and become permanent if the student has fulfilled at least one of the following within six years:

• Earned a degree from an institution of higher education (two- or four-year institution), or maintained good standing, for at least two years, at an institution of higher education while working toward a
  bachelor’s degree or higher.


• Served in the U.S. Armed Forces for at least two years and, if discharged, received an honorable discharge.

The “DREAM Act” and “American Dream Act” provide work authorization and protection from deportation for students ages 12 and older. Students who are at least 12 years old, enrolled full-time in primary or secondary school, and have met all the requirements for conditional permanent legal resident status, except for high school graduation, will be eligible for protection from deportation and granted work authorization.

Why the “DREAM Act” is Important

America rewards hard work. Students in America know that by studying and achieving success in high school, they can potentially earn the reward of a college education and truly fulfill their potential. The American way is to offer equal opportunities to all and encourage all to make the most of their talents.

Current law punishes children for a decision that they did not make. America cannot continue to penalize young people who have lived in the U.S. since they were children. These individuals were brought to the U.S. as very young children and are not to blame for their lack of documentation. They have done nothing wrong and should not be punished.

These children are Americans. Granting access to the “American Dream” for kids who have grown up reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, playing baseball, and eating apple pie is the right thing to do. They have sat alongside our children in the classroom. They share American values and traditions. This country is their home.

There is a significant cost to our nation in denying these children a college education. We have already made a significant investment in their K-12 education. We risk an enormous cost by cutting their education short and not reaping the full potential of our investment. There is no benefit to this nation in leaving this segment of the population undereducated and thereby relegated to second-class citizenship and low-paying jobs insufficient for supporting a family.

Status of Legislation

This week, Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and Richard Lugar (R-IN) will introduce the "Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act" as an amendment to H.R. 1585, the Department of Defense authorization bill, which is now being debated in the Senate. The provisions of the DREAM Act amendment are expected to be identical to S. 774, the stand-alone "DREAM Act" bill that Senators Durbin, Hagel, and Lugar introduced earlier this spring.

The amendment will need 60 votes to pass. Its adoption would be a giant step forward for the DREAM Act, which would then stand an excellent chance of becoming law this year.

We do not yet know when the vote will be, and it is possible that procedural obstacles could prevent one from occurring at all. But regardless, it is imperative for all DREAM Act supporters to call your Senators and send an e-mail message to them today, and again tomorrow, and again every day until the vote occurs.

You can find your Senators' phone numbers and email addresses here. In the case of Texas Senators, a phone call is the easiest way to take action now.

Please act now for Jose and Monica!

Late breaking update: I spoke with staff in Senator John Cornyn's office this evening. The Defense Authorization Bill was pulled from the floor this afternoon. There is interest in attaching the Dream Act to an education bill up for consideration at this time.

The staff person I spoke with told me that Sen. Cornyn would not oppose the Dream Act, but that he likely would not actively promote it either. Unfortunate.

Still, we need to call, email, write, FAX and get the message to all of our Senators, wherever we live, to support the passage of this bill that would benefit immigrant children.

Please help us!

[For more background on Monica and Jose, type "Monica" in the Search prompt box at top of this site.]