The DREAM Act

The following is an email that was forwarded to me. I've taken the names and any identifying personal information out of the email in order to protect the privacy of the sender and primary recipient. 

"Dear (blank),

Over this past weekend I got to spend Thanksgiving with my family and friends, all thanks to you. Because of your advocacy, I was released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after being incarcerated for almost two months. In a flash, I went from hanging out with my friends and going to school to being thrown in a detention center in Arizona.  None of this made sense to me. I was only allowed outside for one hour a day.  For 64 people, there were just three toilets and four showers.  There had to be a guard with us everywhere we went. There was no freedom or privacy.  I was treated like a criminal and I felt helpless.

Even though I’m back home now, I’m still at risk of being deported and there are many people who are in the same situation as I am.  Over 65,000 undocumented students graduate from a U.S. high school each year and are at the same risk of deportation that I faced.  We have to do something to stop this from happening to another innocent student.  These are our future teachers, nurses, doctors, and lawyers that are just as American as their peers, but, like me, don’t have legal status.

This week Congress will be debating an important piece of legislation called the DREAM Act, a bipartisan bill that could provide a pathway to legalization for undocumented students just like me if they attend two years of college or serve two years in the military.  I am home today because of you. You made a difference in my life and together we can make a difference in the life of many others by helping to pass the DREAM Act.  Please take action today.  Thank you.

Sincerely,

(blank)"

TAKE ACTION NOW

1. To call your own Senator, please dial 866-996-5161. Ask them to vote YES on the DREAM Act this week.  Do they already support it?  Great, urge them to advocate against any bad amendments that will come up during the voting process.
2. To call your House of Representative, please dial 866-967-6018.
3. Join a phone bank in San Francisco tomorrow, November 30th, on the National Day of Action for DREAM Act. Find out more at www.bringstevehome.com.

For information on what exactly the DREAM Act is and how to take action against it, visit: http://dreamact.info/