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?

Monica and Jose

We received word late Friday that officials in our immigration court here in Dallas, Texas are "reviewing" the case involving two of our young people, Monica and Jose. 

Thankfully, President Obama's executive order on Thursday regarding children and youth who pose absolutely no threat to our nation caused authorities here to be willing to reconsider action to remove these two fine young people from the country. 

Talk about an answer to prayer!

Critics of Mr. Obama and those who so often disagree with me here need to reconsider their positions. 

If these two children were your children, what would you want for them? 

Remember all that we have invested in them to this point in public education, health and other community benefits, such as those we've shared with them from our community development organization's efforts. 

Why would anyone want to throw away such a long-term investment? 

Pray for Monica.

Pray for Jose.

They need to stay in the United States. 

Three years ago, I flew to Washington, DC with these two great young people.  They spoke with Senator Hutchison's staff.  Unfortunately, Senator Cornyn would not allow them in his office.  Disgusting. 

They toured the national monuments. 

They stood where Dr. King stood on the marble slab that marks his presence on the day of the 1963 March on Washington and his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. 

I observed their tears. 

I listened to their fears and hopes. 

They are part of my family. 

We must find a way for them to stay here.

[For more information on these young people and their terrible situation, read my post from yesterday.]

DREAM Act needed NOW!

Eric Balderas is the latest student to make the case for immediate passage of the DREAM Act.  Fortunately, Balderas' case has been temporarily resolved so that he can remain at Harvard University to complete his education.  Still, he has absolutely no assurance that he'll be able to remain in the United States to serve and to build the nation he has called home since he was 4-years-old.


Check out the NPR report on his case:

Undocumented Harvard Student Faces Deportation

by The Associated Press
June 11, 2010

An undocumented Harvard University student is facing deportation to Mexico after being detained by immigration authorities at a Texas airport, the students said Friday.

Eric Balderas, 19, who just completed his first year at Harvard, said he was detained Monday by immigration authorities when he tried to board a plane from his hometown of San Antonio to Boston using a consulate card from Mexico and his student ID.

"I'd made it through before so I thought this time wouldn't be any different," Balderas said Friday in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "But once ICE picked me up I really didn't know what to think and I was starting to break down."

Balderas, who previously had used a Mexican passport to board planes but recently lost it, said he became despondent and thought he was being deported to Mexico immediately, only to be released the next day. He said he has a scheduled July 6 immigration hearing.

"All I can think about was my family," said Balderas, who doesn't remember living in Mexico.

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman, Mark Medvesky, confirmed that Balderas was released and said his hearing will likely be in Boston.

Harvard officials immediately threw support behind Balderas.

"Eric Balderas has already demonstrated the discipline and work ethic required for rigorous university work, and has, like so many of our undergraduates, expressed an interest in making a difference in the world," said Christine Heenan, Harvard's vice president of public affairs and communications.

The case also sparked a buzz on social media sites and among student immigrant activists who see the Balderas situation as the ideal test case to push the proposed DREAM act — a federal bill that would allow illegal immigrants a pathway to citizenship via college enrollment or military service.

To read the entire report click here. 

To sign a petition in support of the DREAM Act click here. 

The time is NOW to act to save an entire generation of students in whose lives we been investing for years. 

New feature on Urban Daily

Please notice at the upper right of this page a new feature. 

I'll be conducting unscientific opinion polls on various subjects of interest to our community and to our work.

I need your feedback! 

Take a look at the poll on immigration reform and give me your opinion! 

Thanks!

Immigration and wages. . .

Immigration and Wages—Methodological advancements confirm modest gains for native workers

Heidi Shierholz
February 4, 2010
EPI Briefing Paper #255

Executive summary

In the ongoing debate on immigration, there is broad agreement among academic economists that it has a small but positive impact on the wages of native-born workers overall: although new immigrant workers add to the labor supply, they also consume goods and services, which creates more jobs. 

The real debate among researchers is whether a large influx of a specific type of worker (say, workers with a particular level of education or training) has the potential to have a negative impact on the wages of existing workers of that same type. Some research argues that immigrant competition is quite costly to certain groups of native-born U.S. workers, while other research finds that native workers—even those who have levels of education and experience similar to new immigrants—may actually reap modest benefits from immigration.

We begin this paper with a review of the scholarly literature on immigration’s effect on wages, focusing on recent methodological advancements. We then use Current Population Survey (CPS) data from 1994 to 2007 to conduct our own empirical analysis of immigration’s effect on wages over this period, incorporating these recent methodological advancements. Our analysis finds little evidence that immigration negatively impacts native-born workers.

A key result from this work is that the estimated effect of immigration from 1994 to 2007 was to raise the wages of U.S.-born workers, relative to foreign-born workers, by 0.4% (or $3.68 per week), and to lower the wages of foreign-born workers, relative to U.S.-born workers, by 4.6% (or $33.11 per week). In other words, any negative effects of new immigration over this period were felt largely by the workers who are the most substitutable for new immigrants—that is, earlier immigrants.

Click here to read the full report.

Students need relief. . .

What with the way things appear to be unfolding (or not!) in Washington these days, the chances of Congress tackling comprehensive immigration reform this year seem slim to none. 

Still millions of immigrant children brought to the US by their parents when they were still minors continue to find themselves in "status limbo."  Hard working, diligent, eager and hopeful, millions of these youth need the benefit of legislation like the various versions of the DREAM Act that we've discussed here on numerous occasions.  [If you are interested, type "DREAM Act" and "Monica" in search tool above left.]

Juan's story in the video clip below touched me again concerning the plight of some really great human beings.  What does faith have to say to us about Juan?

Immigration: the promise land

Though he tries in this performance, Jerry Caplinger is not Willie Nelson, but the lyrics still ring strong and true. Our communiites are stronger thanks to the complexity, diversity and energy of our immigrant neighbors.

Here in East Dallas we're surrounded by immigrants from south of our border. I'm grateful that my Mexican and other Latin American neighbors found their way to Dallas.

The vision of the "promise land" still shapes our national soul. During the coming battle over comprehensive immigration reform, we'd do well to remember the song's faith in the people of this nation.

Screening children for Santa?

Last week we received word from Houston, Texas that some charitable organizations would screen out the children of undocumented residents of the city when it comes time to distribute toys and other Christmas gifts.  You can read the original report published by The Houston Chronicle ( "Some toy drives check immigration status," Nov. 30, 2009, by Jeannie Kever) here. 

The original story reported that the Salvation Army and a toy drive associated with the city's fire department would be requiring various forms of identificaiton, including social sercurity cards, birth certificates and proof of income, to qualify families and children to receive toys and Christmas gifts this year.  The report set off reaction from groups working with immigrants in the city.

On last Thursday, the paper published a follow up story that reported the decision by the Salvation Army not to require social security cards. 

“It was never our intention to offend anyone with our registration requirement to provide a Social Security number, or to give the impression that we were discriminating against those individuals and families who do not have a Social Security number,” Major Chris Flanagan, Area Commander for The Salvation Army Greater Houston Area Command said in a statement. 

To read the entire report click here.

My reading of the stories lead me to believe that the original intention was to eliminate the children of "illegal" immigrants from the Christmas gift program.   Thankfully, the organizations involved reconsidered the hurtful policy.  As usual when a community rises up and  cries out, things change for the better. 

Still, the enire affair points up once again the intense hatred and the unapologetic discrimination lurking just beneath the surface of many of our communities that can be so quickly directed toward our immigrant neighbors.  Reading the reports and considering the attitudes that informed these policy decisions in the first place, I'm wondering if our faith communities and their leaders don't need to do some work with us on just how God regards the "aliens" and the "strangers" among us. 

Clearly, we need to remember and reconsider the clarity of our faith traditon regarding residents from other places, regardless of how they made their way to us.  I'm thinking of words like these:

"Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt." Exodus 22:21

"Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt."  Exodus 23:9

"The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God."  Leviticus 19:34

"And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt." Deuteronomy 10:19

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. . . ." Matthew 25:35

In view of the clarity of our faith traditions, I'd say we need to reflect clearly and carefully on our attitudes and our actions. Maybe it's just me, but this seems especially true during the Advent waiting as we consider the arrival of the Child who, himself an immigrant in more ways than one, comes to set us free.

[This post also appeared on the Sojourners blog here.]

Conservative, Evangelical Christians on Immigration Reform

On Oct. 8 the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) voted without dissent in support of cmpre-hensive, national immigration reform.  NAE president Leith Anderson rallied and solidified the troops to see this position paper and value statement adopted after a couple of years of intensive study. 


The U. S. Congress would do well to read the document. 


Here's a taste for your consideraiton: 

Immigration 2009

The significant increase in immigration and the growing stridency of the national debate on immigration compel the National Association of Evangelicals to speak boldly and biblically to this challenging topic. The complexity of immigration issues provides an opportunity to mine Scripture for guidance. A biblically informed position provides a strong platform for the NAE to make a contribution in the public square that will be explicitly Christian. Out of commitment to Scripture and knowledge of national immigration realities comes a distinct call to action.

Biblical Foundations

Discussion of immigration and government immigration policy must begin with the truth that every human being is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28). Immigrants are made in the image of God and have supreme value with the potential to contribute greatly to society. Jesus exemplifies respect toward others who are different in his treatment of the Samaritans (Luke 10:30-37; John 4:1-42).

The Bible contains many accounts of God’s people who were forced to migrate due to hunger, war, or personal circumstances. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the families of his sons turned to Egypt in search of food. Joseph, Naomi, Ruth, Daniel and his friends, Ezekiel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther all lived in foreign lands. In the New Testament, Joseph and Mary fled with Jesus to escape Herod’s anger and became refugees in Egypt. Peter referred to the recipients of his first letter as “aliens” and “strangers,” perhaps suggesting that they were exiles within the Roman Empire. These examples from the Old and New Testaments reveal God’s hand in the movement of people and are illustrations of faith in God in difficult circumstances.

Migration was common in the ancient world. Outsiders were particularly vulnerable. They stood outside the kinship system that regulated the inheritance of property. They did not have extended family to care for them in case of need. The Law recognized their helplessness and stipulated measures that served as a safety net. The motivations behind this generous spirit were that the people of God were not to forget that they had been strangers in Egypt (Exodus 22:21; Leviticus 19:33-34) and that God loved the foreigner (Deuteronomy 10:18-19). The New Testament adds that all believers are spiritual sojourners on earth (Phil. 3:20; 1 Peter 2:11). Christians should show compassion and hospitality to outsiders (Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:2).

The Bible does not offer a blueprint for modern legislation, but it can serve as a moral compass and shape the attitudes of those who believe in God. An appreciation of the pervasiveness of migration in the Bible must temper the tendency to limit discussions on immigration to Romans 13 and a simplistic defense of “the rule of law.” God has established the nations (Deut. 32:8; Acts 17:26), and their laws should be respected. Never-theless, policies must be evaluated to reflect that immigrants are made in the image of God and demonstrate biblical grace to the foreigner.

To read the entire statement click here.

Reactions?
.

Immigration: An Interactive "Explorer" Resource

The New York Times offers a very interesting interactive "immigration explorer" that allows users to target the entire nation, county by county to understand immigration patterns in the US since 1880. 

To view the map and explore for yourself, click here.

Hybels on Immigration

Bill Hybels founded the Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago.  Church leaders by the hundreds of thousands have made the pilgrimmage to Willow Creek across the past twenty-five years or so to glean wisdom on church growth and effectiveness from Hybles. 

Now Bill and Lynne Hybels participate in Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform as advocates for the millions of immigrants who find themselves in the U. S. without the documentation that they need to function fully and freely. 

I find the statement made by the Hybels before Congress both surprising and encouraging. 

Here's the beginning of a longer statement:

I, Lynne Hybels, would like to submit this testimony on behalf of myself and my husband, Bill Hybels … Even though the issues of immigration can often be viewed as a political, economic, or security issue, our perspective on immigration has been formed at the community level as local church leaders. In this capacity, we are continually confronted with immigration, not necessarily as a policy issue but as a personal issue in which we witness the human consequences of a broken immigration system every day.

Our faith informs us that we were all strangers and aliens once, separated from God. Because God was willing to include us in his redemptive plan, we “are no longer strangers and aliens, but [we] are fellow citizens” (Ephesians 2:18-19a). As Christians, we accept the biblical perspective that we are all sojourners on this earth, commanded to steward it while we await the full arrival of God’s eternal kingdom. Recognizing that we are all sojourners on this land, no matter what our legal status, compels us to extend solidarity to all. This deep sense of solidarity with others is a foundational truth of our country. We are a nation with historical roots grounded in immigration: out of necessity, many of our ancestors came to this country, and then found a home here.

This perspective can help inform our current perspectives on immigration. Remembering our own history as immigrants, we must take God seriously when, in Scripture, he repeatedly calls on his people to remember their past as sojourners and to treat the aliens among them accordingly. “The strangers who sojourn with you shall be to you as the natives among you, and you shall love them as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Leviticus 19:33-34). Throughout the Old Testament, God repeats the command to love the alien just as he himself does (Deuteronomy 10:18), and makes clear his desire for us to emulate his special concern for the foreign-born who, along with orphans and widows, are recognized as particularly vulnerable (Psalm 146:9, Zechariah 7:10).

To read the entire statement click here and follow links to all of the material. 

Bravo, Hybels!  Bravo!

While you're at it, take a look at the editorial comment that appeared in The New York Times last Sunday, October 11, 2009 by clicking here. 

Good word on the DREAM Act

Take a moment to read the latest from Dallas Morning News columnist, William McKenzie on the DREAM Act.

Just makes sense. If you agree, contact your senators today and urge them to sign on to the bill.

.

You can make a difference today. . .

Today is DREAM Act Day!

Watch this helpful and informative video to meet some of the students who will be affected.

Click here to learn more about the legislation.

Then. . .

Contact your senators and your representative in Washington, DC today to express your support for this legislation that would provide students brought to the U. S. by their parents at a very early age the documentation they need to remain here to continue their education or serve in the U. S. Armed Forces.

Join the action next Wednesday to support the DREAM Act

Here's your chance to take a stand alongside some great students who deserve to be allowed to remain in the United States.

Support the Development, Relief and Edcuation for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act) by joining us at Dallas City Hall in the Flag Room on the 6th Floor next Wednesday, September 23 at noon.

Our Mexican Friends and Neighbors and Cinco de Mayo

Every Sunday I see them.

Scores of families walking across Ross Avenue into a huge Downtown church where thousands gather every weekend for prayer and worship.

Almost all of these families moved to the U. S. from Mexico.

As I watch these beautiful people and their children, I know instinctively that they are here in Dallas working hard to create the best possible life for themselves and their children., just like all of the rest of us. I also know that if they were not here, Dallas would not be he same city. Their departure would be our loss.

At the same time, I know they encounter hatred and opposition as they build their lives.

Word from Washington these days includes reports that immigration reform will move onto the agenda of the U. S. Congress before the end of this year. We know that there is strong movement to bring the D.R.E.A.M. Act forward again with indications that its chances of passage are much greater this time around. I hope both happen. Somehow we've got to find new ways to manage the obvious: the U. S. and Mexico are neighbors and should become much closer working partners, as is the case with Canada.

Here we are at Cinco de Mayo once again. I've decided to publish the post I put up two years ago as a reminder of the holiday's significance. Just to let you know, I plan to use this post every May 5 until we have a D.R.E.A.M. Act. The history that binds us is very important.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

This is a special day across the United States and Mexico.

Numerous neighborhoods across Dallas are celebrating the famous Battle of Puebla, Mexico on May 5, 1862, the day on which Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín, outnumbered 2 to 1, routed the French army.

So, why Cinco de Mayo?

Under Emperor Napoleon III, the French invaded Mexico with designs of staying in order to challenge the United States, at the time involved in its own Civil War.

Napoleon's Army had not been defeated in 50 years, and it invaded Mexico with the finest modern equipment and with a newly reconstituted Foreign Legion. The French Army left the port of Vera Cruz to attack Mexico City about 100 miles to the west. The French believed that if the Mexican Capitol fell, the nation would be theirs.

Under the innovative and daring leadership of Zaragoza, the Mexican army more than prevailed. The outcome of the battle on United States history is often overlooked. The victory prevented the French from supplying the Confederate rebels in the U. S. for another year.

As the American Civil War wound down, following the Union victory at Gettysburg, U. S. General Phillip Sheridan traveled to the Mexican border to bring materials needed to expel the French completely. At this time American soldiers were discharged with their uniforms and rifles if they promised to join the Mexican Army to fight the French. The American Legion of Honor marched in the Victory Parade in Mexico, City.

Almost 100 years later, thousands of Mexicans crossed the border after Pearl Harbor to join the U.S. Armed Forces. As recently as the Persian Gulf War, Mexicans flooded American consulates with phone calls, trying to join up and fight another war for America.

Cinco de Mayo is a community party! It is a day to celebrate liberty and freedom. It is a celebration bringing together the United States and Mexico. It is a day for remembering our common heritage and our connection as people. It is a day and an event that I remember almost every morning as I drive by Ignacio Zaragoza Elementary School in my neighborhood!

It seems to me that it's a party we all need to join, now as never before.

What do you think?

.

Speak Out for Our Investment!

Children brought to the United States by undocumented immigrant parents find themselves in a cruel state of limbo when they graduate high school and, in a growing number of cases, college. Even after receiving and taking full advantage of the national investment in their lives, these hard-working students cannot land a job, at least not legally. In short, their preparation and the public investment to get them ready for the marketplace goes wasted.

It is long past time for reform.

The D.R.E.A.M. Act provides the relief that these students seek and that the nation deserves. The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act would allow the children of undocumented children, brought here with no say in the decision, who exhibit good moral character and who graduate high school and go on to college or military service, to remain in the United States.

Here's testimony from just such a student. We need young people like him to remain in the country. Frankly, we've invested too much already to see him leave us!



Take a moment right now to write your member of the U. S. House of Representatives and to both of your U. S. Senators. Tell them you support the D.R.E.A.M. Act and you expect them to do the same!

.

DREAM Act. . .relief

Good news arrived week before last concerning Monica and Jose. [To learn more about these two wonderful teenagers use the "Search" tool above to the left; just type in "Monica."]

Monica and Jose were brought to the US by their parents when they were just children. Like their parents, Monica and Jose have no approved documentation to stay in the country. But, they have been here almost all of their lives. No documentation, that is, until recently.

That's the good news.

The federal immigration court recently ruled that both of these fine young people, now almost 20-years-old, may remain in the US until April 2010. Their status is pending until that time.

In the meantime, we are hoping that the long awaited DREAM Act will be enacted into law. [For more details on the DREAM Act simply use the "Search" tool above!]

This summer a national film tour is planned to roll out the documentary, "An Unfinished DREAM."

Check out the film's trailer below:

DREAM Act Symposium at SMU this Thursday

Check Gerald Britt's post on the DREAM Act Symposium set for this Thursday, April 9 at Southern Methodist University here in Dallas.

If you care about seeing the DREAM Act passed into law, don't miss this event!

.

Ten Things You Can Do to Support the DREAM Act!

Want to stand with the millions of children/students brought to the USA by undocumented parents through no choice of their own who now need to receive documentation so that they can continue their education or service to the nation as members of the U. S. Military?

Support the DREAM Act!

Here are 10 things you can do RIGHT NOW!

Let us know how many of them you check off by your action!

.

National DREAM Action Day--You Can Help!

Today is "National DREAM Action Day" in the United States!

Below you can read the message that I received from the United We Dream Coaltion and the University Leadership Initiative. You can make a difference. Please take action today!

______________________________

Dear DREAM Act supporter,

On behalf of the United We DREAM Coalition and the University Leadership Initiative we URGE you and your membership to become proactive supporters of the DREAM Act on TUESDAY, MARCH 24 [today!]-the NATIONAL DREAM ACTION DAY.

Please remember to use ALL resources to take action such as:

EDUCATE OTHERS about DREAM & MOBILIZE them

Letter writing (mail, fax, & email) and call-in campaigns

Mass texting friends

Forwarding email

Sign petition at dreamact2009.com

Facebook & My space

Write letters to the editor and/or op-ed columns

We must ensure that members of Congress understand and support the DREAM Act. The only way for the United States to out-think, outsmart, and out-innovate the competition, is to support policies like the DREAM Act that keep the best minds in the U.S. If you need more information and/or want to be armed with the facts, please contact us via email at ourdream2005@gmail.com so that we may assist you.

Sincerely,
United We DREAM Coalition (dreamactivist.org) and University Leadership Initiative

What is the DREAM Act?

The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act ensures that the United States benefits from keeping the best and brightest students in the country by allowing them to become productive contributors to the country's economy.

It is bipartisan legislation that responds to the demographic realities of American society by acknowledging the potential contributions of some of our nation's most talented, dedicated, and patriotic youth. This piece of legislation ensures that no child in American is denied their dream of having a better life if they are willing to work for it.

It allows undocumented students who have resided in the U.S. for more than five years, were brought to the U.S. as minors, have no criminal records, and have successfully graduated from a four-year U.S. high school to obtain conditional residence which will allow them to attend an institution of higher education or join a military service.

It provides zero benefits for immigrants who are not already here or who have resided in the US for less than five years. Within a six-year time span, the young students must prove their merits for permanent residence. The qualified person must have completed a two-year college, two years of credits in a four-year college program, or have served in the U.S. armed forces for at least two years.

Visit the official DREAM website - http://dreamactivist.org/ where you'll find helpful information and useful tips to become active supporters of the DREAM Act.

Sign & Share the National DREAM Petition --Please visit and participate in the National DREAM Petition, it takes less than a minute to sign on http://dreamact2009.com/

You may also email your member of the U. S. House of Representatives and your two Senators with one simple step, go here.

Let our Voices be Heard!

On Tuesday, March 24 we ask that each of your family members, friends and organization members call their congress members and urge them to become co-sponsors and/or supporters of the soon-to-be introduced DREAM Act.

For Texas advocates, please do not forget to target Senator Kay Baily Hutchison: phone (202) 224-5922 and/or via email at http://hutchison.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Senator John Cornyn: phone at (202) 224-2934 and/or via email at http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

Find your Member of the House at you https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

**************************************************************** --> -->

SCRIPT FOR CALL-IN:

"I'm calling to ask Representative/Senator _______ to co-sponsor and/or vote in favor of the DREAM Act. This bi-partisan & bicameral federal proposal would provide a path to lawful permanent residence for individuals who were brought to this country years ago as undocumented immigrant children. The only students who would benefit from this bill are high achievers who contribute to their communities, have learned English, pledge love and allegiance to this nation, have successfully graduated from a U.S. high school despite many barriers, have been accepted into a 2 or 4 year university OR serve the U.S. armed forces, AND have a clean record with the law."

.