Citizen Orange: DREAM Now Letters: Stop The Deportation of Marlen Moreno

Posted on 08/05/2010 @ 11:33 AM

The "DREAM Now Series: Letters to Barack Obama" is a social media campaign that launched Monday, July 19, to underscore the urgent need to pass the DREAM Act. The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, S. 729, would help tens of thousands of young people, American in all but paperwork, to earn legal status, provided they graduate from U.S. high schools, have good moral character, and complete either two years of college or military service. With broader comprehensive immigration reform stuck in partisan gridlock, the time is now for the White House and Congress to step up and pass the DREAM Act!

Dear Mr. President,

My name is Marlen Moreno and I am undocumented. I am also a possible beneficiary of the DREAM Act. On Sunday, August 8, I will be deported.

I was born in Nacozari, Mexico in 1984. My parents brought me to the United States when I was only 13 years old. We were searching for a better life and we found it in Tucson, Arizona. Despite being born in Mexico, I don't consider myself Mexican. I have been living in this country for over thirteen years. The United States is my country and Arizona is my home.

My parents have always told me to value education. I remember them telling me that they came to the United States, "the country of opportunity," so I could live a better life than they did. I never took their sacrifice for granted. In 2002, I became the first and only member of my family to graduate from high school. I was proud of my achievements but scared that I could not go any further. Because of my status, I was not able to continue with my education. My goal is to become a pre-school teacher, because I believe education is the key to success. I want to help children achieve their full potential from a young age, so they can continue to excel in every aspect of their lives.

Despite my goals of higher education, I was forced to put them aside and work as an assistant cleaning houses and a maid in a hotel. This was not what I wanted to do with my life, but I was thankful for any job I was able to get. For four years, I worked hard to support myself and help my family financially knowing that someday I would be able to live out the American Dream.

In 2007, my first son was born, Freddy Alan. Thanks to him, I came to know what it means to be a mother. I never knew I could be this happy or love someone as much as I love him. I went back to work soon after his birth because I wanted to provide him with everything he deserved.

On March 28, 2008, my son and I were awakened by a loud bang on our door. Before I could fully figure out what was happening, ten heavily armed deputies came into my house and arrested me because I am undocumented. I was taken to jail and held without bail.

I was detained for over four months, when I was finally released and allowed to reunite with my son once again. When I came home, after four and a half months, I realized how much I had missed. My son had turned one and he had learned how to walk while I was in jail. It pains me to know that I never saw his first crawl, the first time he sat up, learned to play, his first bites of real food, or when he took his first steps. But what pains me the most is the fact that he didn't recognize me, his own mother, after I got out of jail. It still brings tears to my eyes knowing my own son didn't know who I was. It took us months to come back together, like we had been before we were separated.

I try not to think about the way I was treated during this time. I had been treated like a criminal, as if I had robbed a bank when all I was doing was working to provide for my son and my family. It was not the same America I had grown up knowing.

In 2009, I met my husband and we married. He came into my life at a time when I needed him the most. He provided the support and love that I needed, and I will never forget that. In November of 2009, I had my second son, Leobardo Jr. My husband is a Lawful Permanent Resident and both of my sons are citizens. I am the only person in my family who is undocumented, but I still cannot legalize my status.

For the past year I have been fighting my deportation but now I am at the end of that fight and I am being told I must leave the United States by August 8th. I cannot think about being separated from my husband and my sons. I don't want to think about going back to Mexico, a place I don't consider my home.

I consider myself an American. This is where my husband and my children are and I don't want to be separated from them. I want to continue living my life in this country and I want to contribute back. I am not a criminal. I am a wife, a mother, a daughter. I am a human being.

Please act to stop my deportation and to pass the DREAM Act now so that I can have a chance at a life in the only country I know as my home, later. I only have 3 days before I'm deported. This is what I need most urgently from you. Please:

1. Sign the petition for asking for me to stay

2. Send a fax to DHS to ask them to allow me to stay

3. Call Janet Napolitano, Director of DHS at 202-282-8495 and leave a message in support of me. This is an answering machine that fills up by the end of the day, so please fill it up with support for me.

4. Call John Morton, Director of ICE, at 202-732-3000 leave a message urging him to take action and defer my deportation. This is a live comment line that will be picked up by a real human being so please be very polite

For both calls you can say something along the lines of:

"I am calling to leave a message of support for Marlen Moreno (A#88-771-833) who is being deported on August 8th, I ask that Director Morton please step in to defer her deportation, she is an asset to this country. Thank you."

The "DREAM Now" letter series is inspired by a similar campaign started by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network for the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. Every Monday and Wednesday DREAM-eligible youth will publish letters to the President, and each Friday there will be a DREAM wrap-up. If you're interested in getting involved or posting these stories on your site, please email Kyle de Beausset at kyle at citizenorange dot com.

Approximately 65,000 undocumented youth graduate from U.S. high schools every year, who could benefit from passage of the DREAM Act. Many undocumented youth are brought to the United States before they can even remember much else, and some don't even realize their undocumented status until they have to get a driver's license, want to join the military, or apply to college. DREAM Act youth are American in every sense of the word -- except on paper. It's been nearly a decade since the DREAM Act was first introduced. If Congress does not act now, another generation of promising young graduates will be relegated to the shadows and blocked from giving back fully to our great nation.

DREAM Now Letters: Tania Unzueta

Posted on 08/03/2010 @ 10:04 AM

Crossposted from Citizen Orange: By kyledeb

The "DREAM Now Series: Letters to Barack Obama" is a social media campaign that launched Monday, July 19, to underscore the urgent need to pass the DREAM Act. The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, S. 729, would help tens of thousands of young people, American in all but paperwork, to earn legal status, provided they graduate from U.S. high schools, have good moral character, and complete either two years of college or military service. With broader comprehensive immigration reform stuck in partisan gridlock, the time is now for the White House and Congress to step up and pass the DREAM Act!

President Barack H. Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

My name is Tania Unzueta and I'm undocumented.

I have lived in Chicago since I was 10 years old. I came with my mother to join my father, who had found a stable job and a promise to legalize his status. Eventually our tourist visas ran out, and my family became undocumented. For years we lived in a small basement, then a small apartment. When we moved here, my dad had been offered a job with the promise of regularizing his status through employer sponsorship, 245-i. Our family was going through that process when the workers began to organize a union, and asked for the support of my dad. He gave it to them, which resulted in his dismissal from his position, and an end to the sponsorship.

I too have tried and failed to regularize my immigration status. When I graduated from high school I went to Mexico to try to apply for an international student visa, so that I could attend the colleges to which I had been accepted. Even though I was the captain of my swim team and an honors student, my visa was not accepted. Eventually I was able to get a humanitarian visa to come back to Chicago. I pinned a lot of hopes for my future on the 2003 DREAM Act. It failed. I hoped again in 2007- to the same result. Ever since then I have only tried to do the best I can with my life, trying to have a balance between being happy, giving back to my community, and working for the passage of the DREAM Act.

I was there with the DREAM Act 5 in John McCain's office when three undocumented youth made history as the first undocumented immigrants commit civil disobedience and get detained with the aim of changing U.S. immigration law. I was also one of the DREAM Act 21 to get arrested, for the second time in U.S. history, on Capitol Hill in a mostly successful effort to get Congress shift towards taking up the DREAM Act this year (any and all help offsetting the costs of attending our court date is appreciated, by the way). How many more youth will have to detain themselves before Congress passes the DREAM Act? How many more lives have to be put on hold or lost to the shadows before our leaders act?

The time to pass the DREAM Act is now. Please join us.

Sincerely, Tania Unzueta

The "DREAM Now" letter series is inspired by a similar campaign started by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network for the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. Every Monday and Wednesday DREAM-eligible youth will publish letters to the President, and each Friday there will be a DREAM wrap-up. If you're interested in getting involved or posting these stories on your site, please email Kyle de Beausset at kyle at citizenorange dot com.

Approximately 65,000 undocumented youth graduate from U.S. high schools every year, who could benefit from passage of the DREAM Act. Many undocumented youth are brought to the United States before they can even remember much else, and some don't even realize their undocumented status until they have to get a driver's license, want to join the military, or apply to college. DREAM Act youth are American in every sense of the word -- except on paper. It's been nearly a decade since the DREAM Act was first introduced. If Congress does not act now, another generation of promising young graduates will be relegated to the shadows and blocked from giving back fully to our great nation.

This is what you can do right now to pass the DREAM Act:

1. Sign the DREAM Act Petition 2. Join the DREAM Act Facebook Cause 3. Send a fax in support of the DREAM Act 4. Call your Senator and ask them to pass the DREAM Act now. 5. Email kyle at citizenorange dot com to get more involved

Below is a list of previous entries in the DREAM Now Series:

Mohammad Abdollahi (19 July 2010) Yahaira Carrillo (21 July 2010) Weekly Recap - Tell Harry Reid You Want the DREAM Act Now (23 July 2010) Wendy (26 July 2010) Matias Ramos (28 July 2010) Weekly Recap - The CHC Has To Stand With Migrant Youth Not Against Us (30 July 2010)

SB 1070 Merging the Gap between Proponents and Opponents

By Juan de la Tore on 08/02/2010 @ 02:32 PM

In the Arizona heat of this debate why has anyone not realized that the proponents and opponents of SB 1070 want the same thing; and that is the solution to the immigration crisis in this country.

It is this fact that should be everyone's focus instead of fostering this debate over an unconstitutional State bill that is only creating resentments and hatred between the two sides. Let us cool down the desert battle over SB 1070 and realize that the bill has done us all a great favor by bringing the immigration crisis into prime time debate for the Democratic process in Congress. But now there needs to be a truce because we are only losing precious time arguing the merits of this bill by continuing a judicial battle.

The fact is the solution MUST be a federal one and this has long been resolved by the mandate of the Constitution and the precedence of Supreme Court Cases. In INS v. Chada, 462 U.S. 941 (1983) the court said that the “plenary authority of Congress over aliens under Art. I, § 8, cl. 4, is not open to question…” The Chada Court cites Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1 (1976) which states: “Congress has plenary authority in all cases in which it has substantive legislative jurisdiction, McCulloch v. Maryland, 4 Wheat. 316 (1819), so long as the exercise of that authority does not offend some other constitutional restriction."

The McCulloch Court also solidified that the Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land. The Constitution NOT the State Law of Arizona on this issue that affects ALL the borders of the United States and not just Arizona’s.

Remember two wrongs do not make a right. You cannot solve the problem of illegal immigration by implementing an illegal state law. Instead of arguing the merits of Federalism and whether this is a state issue, which is already resolved by the Courts, we should be demanding THE REAL SOLUTION WE NEED.

A COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION BILL that would allow both sides to compromise and resolve this issue once and for all. A Bill that includes: (1) Protecting Our Borders (2) an Expedited Immigration Process and (3) Keeping Families Together. We need to make a compromise and let the Democratic process resolve this crisis via a bi-partisan bill.

Let us stop the distraction that SB 1070 has created. Let us put it aside and look at the real solution. CONGRESS MUST ACT NOW!

Video: President of Democracia Jorge Mursuli Arrested in Phoenix, AZ

Posted on 08/02/2010 @ 10:59 AM

July 29, 2010: Civil Disobedience Outside Sheriff Joe's Office

Posted on 07/30/2010 @ 02:47 PM

Local Hispanic community rallies against immigration law

Valley Hispanics are feeling some relief after a federal judge in Phoenix issued a temporary injunction blocking implementation of the toughest portions of Arizona's controversial immigration law.

The local Hispanic community here in the valley is not taking Arizona’s ruling for granted and is stepping up its efforts to put a stop to SB 1070 altogether.

Several groups and organizations throughout Las Vegas came together at the Amistand Cristiana Church on Stewart and 9th Avenue Thursday to show lawmakers just how serious they are about immigrant rights and comprehensive immigration reform.

The groups unveiled a new campaign they are calling “Ask Me For My Papers.”

Members of Hispanics in Politics, Progress Now Nevada, and Democracia Ahora are vowing to fight until SB 1070 is abolished and a comprehensive immigration law is enacted in its place.

These groups say they are united with their brothers and sisters in Arizona, taking on their fight because they don't want to see a similar here in Nevada.

“There's talk of something coming here to Nevada, Nebraska,” says Alicia Estrada, Nevada State Director Democracia Ahora. “There are laws that are anti-immigrant and Texas and other states just aren't being supportive. Everyone is trying to address our broken system at local levels.”

State officials in Arizona went to an appeals court late Thursday afternoon in an effort to delay a judge’s ruling that blocked the most controversial parts of the immigration law.

They are seeking to allow the law to take full effect while the issue moves through the courts.

Read the full article here.

Democracia Organized Echo Events Across the Country

By Democracia on 07/30/2010 @ 12:30 PM

Yesterday, Democracia held events across the country in support of those demonstrating in Arizona against SB1070. Events were held in Pennsylvania, Nevada, Florida, Texas and Colorado - all in supporting of our brothers and sisters in Arizona facing the implementation of the toughest immigration law in recent times.

This is just one example of the events we put together:

Live-Stream from Events in Phoenix @ 11:45 ET

Posted on 07/29/2010 @ 10:17 AM

Online TV Shows by Ustream

Arizona Is Hot In More Ways Than One

By Jorge Mursuli on 07/29/2010 @ 09:38 AM

I arrived in AZ yesterday. It's HOT here in more ways than one. The concrete city burns right through my sneaks while both sides begin to heat it up. Hot, hot.

The press corp is stationed across from the Capitol. It's massive. CNN, Telemundo, Univision, the Networks, foreign press......they're all here. It reminds me of the press camps during the Elian fiasco in Miami. It's practically a small tent city.

Funny seeing TV anchors fully dressed in suits and cocktail dresses up high on temporary risers out in this oppressive heat, covering the story, melting away in their on air attire. I see several generators pumping out cold air for them. From the looks on their faces, it isn't helping much. Guess it keeps the make-up people working.

The Latino crew is gathered on the corner. I was pleasantly surprised to find folks in good spirits. The crowd is laced with local art, religious icons, vendors, and families coming together. I am NOT surprised that music is playing and folks are mingling, wondering and talking about what's yet to come. The human spirit is alive and strong in our folks.....no surprise. Feels good.

SB1070's Un-American By-Product

By Jorge Mursuli on 07/26/2010 @ 10:18 AM

I was having dinner with friends this week. He's a successful Hollywood producer. She's a fundraiser and stay at home Mom. By all accounts, they are somewhat of an "it" couple with a home in Beverly Hills, kids in private school and an appetite for the American Dream.

As a matter of consequence, he is somewhat fair skinned and often gets confused with being Jewish (Hollywood producer.....what a surprise), and she is your traditional Latina beauty with silky olive skin and a face for the movies.

So, apparently in a family conversation over a possible vacation to the Grand Canyon, their 8-yr old son emphatically says to them, "No, we can't go there!"

With some surprise my friends of course asked him why. "because they'll arrest you.", he responded. Needless to say both parents were taken back.

But here's the kicker.......He corrected himself by offering a solution and went on to explain that his father looked "white" so he would be OK. And, as far as his Mom is concerned, she could probably pass IF she "wore diamonds on her dress".

AZ's SB1070 and it's Un-American and anti-Latino toxic by-product is seeping deep into the consciousness of America- a dark poisonous cloud indeed.

And like all environmental disasters, it's likely to be a long rough ride to clean it up.

Why should New Jersey care about Arizona?

By Fernando Trevino on 07/15/2010 @ 11:17 AM

On several occasions I have been asked why the New Jersey community should worry about the crazy situation that is going on in Arizona. Let me tell you why… unless we act, it could happen here too!

As you know by now, on April 26th 2010, Arizona’s Governor Brewer chose to sign a divisive piece of legislation (Senate Bill 1070) that aims to tear apart the fabric of civil society in Arizona. Despite obvious flaws and massive public opposition, Governor Brewer sided against American freedoms and signed into law a bill that promotes racial profiling. As unbelievable as it sounds, more than 10 states in the US (including our neighbor Pennsylvania) are trying to pass similar legislation that would affect millions of people across the country, instead of denouncing Arizona for passing SB-1070.

Last night I had the opportunity to witness democracy at its best… a local Government acting in response to a clear and loud petition from its citizens. The City Council of Camden, NJ formally enacted the “Resolution in Support of Nationwide Immigration Reform”.

On July 1st, more than a dozen organizations held events across NJ to denounce SB-1070 and to request from our elected officials their commitment to not pass any similar initiatives in NJ. In Camden, Democracia Ahora held a press conference outside of City Hall demanding the same issues and, furthermore, requesting City Council to pass a resolution on the subject. The response could not have been better. During the press conference State Assemblyman Angel Fuentes and City Council President Francisco Moran denounced SB-1070, and announced the City Council’s commitment to discuss and pass a resolution formalizing their position.

Yesterday was the big day. Our elected officials in Camden, NJ showed their leadership and joined the community saying “New Jersey stands with Arizona against SB-1070”… “We will not allow racial profiling in our state”… “Immigration enforcement is a federal issue and it shouldn’t be a concern for local law enforcing agencies”.

The NJ community is acting, the NJ elected officials are acting, why aren’t you?... Get involved, contact your local authorities and, just as it’s happening in NJ, ask them to join you in doing something against racial profiling in your community… Say NO to SB-1070 or any similar legislation, say YES to comprehensive immigration reform!!!

JUST FIX IT!!

By Jorge Mursuli on 07/13/2010 @ 01:13 PM

Americans-We are generally good, fair people. I don't know about you, but I believe that's true. Many are sitting at home in front of their TV watching folks argue over AZ's controversial law. They're frustrated and annoyed. Frankly, being asked to chose between "open borders" allowing "criminals" to waltz in and a "racial profiling" law that violates basic civil rights is not much of a choice. Man, enough already. Just fix the broken immigration system. I know we could all get behind that sentiment.

President Obama, JUST FIX IT!!!!

Congress, JUST FIX IT!!!

Republicans AND Democrats, JUST FIX IT!!

Governor Brewer, stop pretending you're trying to fix it!!!

Stop playing partisan politics. Stop letting real ciminals get away by focusing on law abiding families.

For the love of God, someone JUST FIX IT!

Ramos on O'Reilly

By Jorge Mursuli on 07/08/2010 @ 03:42 PM

Last night, Jorge Ramos, arguably the most influential Latino in America, took on Bill O'Reilly. Our loved Univision anchor left the comfort of his studio to join the mouthy O'Reilly to talk about immigration and his book on the same subject, A Country for All.

If you want a lesson on how to stay on message while facing a hostile pseudo-journalist, watch this:

No matter how hard O'Reilly tried to guide them down the "violent immigrant criminals" path, our Latino brother wasn't accepting the invitation. It's not too many people that can make the likes of O'Reilly feel "invisible". Let's hope one day he actually is.

DEMOCRACIA AHORA PRAISES ADMINISTRATION’S DECISION TO FILE FEDERAL LAWSUIT AGAINST ARIZONA’S DISCRIMINATORY LAW

Posted on 07/06/2010 @ 04:47 PM

(Dateline: Washington, D.C.) Today, DEMOCRACIA‐AHORA, the nation’s largest Hispanic issue advocacy and civic engagement organization, praised the Justice Department’s filing of a lawsuit to block the implementation of controversial law S.B. 1070, set to take effect July 29th.

“Today’s filing is a critical step in helping to defeat attempts by other States to implement similar versions of this incredibly polarizing and discriminatory law. Not only does Arizona’s anti‐immigrant law overstep Constitutional boundaries, frankly, it violates the basic tenants on which this country was built,” said Jorge Mursuli, President and CEO of Democracia‐Ahora.

“Laws like S.B. 1070 are an excuse for policymakers not to do the real and difficult work of helping formulate comprehensive reform legislation that balances the need for security and the rights of Americans no matter what their country of origin,” continued Mursuli.

If implemented, among other things, S.B. 1070 would make it a state crime not to carry immigration documents whether an individual was in the country legally or not.

On passage of S.B. 1070, Democracia‐Ahora launched a national campaign entitled “Ask me 4 my papers” and has distributed tens of thousands of wristbands to supporters of repealing the Arizona law.

“I think it is a win not only for the Hispanic community in the U.S. but for the country as a whole that our federal government exerts vigilance and ensures adherence to the Constitution,” concluded Mursuli.

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