Teacher Laetitia and Retired Teacher Bruce Talk about the Situation at the Border

Several  teachers and staff went to a gathering in Pacifica to hear a report back by Laetitia Bordes and Bruce Neuberger on their challenging and moving experience volunteering  at Annunciation House in El Paso.  Information was distributed as to concrete ways people can respond to the immediate needs of immigrants crossing the border.

Thank you to Laetitia and Bruce for going to the border and then reporting back to our school community so that we can better understand this situation. 

Immigration Information from the InterFaith Movement for Human Integrity

Support for those who can renew their DACA whose work permits expire between now and March 5, 2018 will be able to apply for a two-year renewal if they apply BY Oct. 5, 2017.

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Free and Accurate Informational Guides and Toolkits: Immigration Legal Resource Center: End of DACA FAQ's California Immigrant Policy Center: DACA Resources Educators for Fair Consideration: DACA, what now? Toolkits : http://www.e4fc.org/resources/whatweknowcandonow.html Immigrants Rising, site for immigrant entrepreneurship: https://immigrantsrising.org/

Bay Area DACA Renewal Clinics for those whose work permits expire between Sept 17, 2017 and March 5th, 2018: Oakland September 15th Centro Legal de La Raza (flyer #2) 3400 E. 12th Street Oakland, CA 94601  (510) 244-4311  Berkeley September 15th and 28th East Bay Law Center 2921 Adeline St. in Berkeley, ( 1 block from Ashby BART) Please call (510) 548-4040. You will be asked to provide your name, phone number, and DACA expiration date. An immigration team member will call you back to confirm your clinic appointment time and date. Richmond September 11th, 18th, 25th Catholic Charities 4 pm - 7pm Richmond Service Center 217 Harbour Way, Richmond 510.234.5110 Concord: 925.825.3099 Oakland: 510.768.3100 San Francisco San Francisco Office of Civic Engagement and City Affairs September 23rd Mission High School 1 pm - 5 pm RSVP at: bit.ly/sfdacarenewals

DACA Renewal Fee Financial Assistance Between now and the October 5 deadline, MAF will provide 2,000 Dreamers with SCHOLARSHIPS of $495 to renew their DACA permit. DACA recipients with a permit expiring between now and March 5 are eligible to receive the scholarships. As time is of the essence, this online scholarship will be processed within a day. Mission Asset Fund : http://www.lc4daca.org/ ____________ Please Share this information widely!

Faith communities across traditions have repeatedly demonstrated an unwavering commitment to immigrant youth and their families, advocating for the DREAM Act, writing letters and filing Amicus briefs in support of the DACA program, and calling on all elected leaders to champion policies that would create a path to citizenship for undocumented individuals in the United States.

DACA and Immigration Resources

Here is a list of resources to help you with changes in DACA rules and with other immigration questions and issues:


DACA renewal resources  Ready California
Empowering immigrant communities through access to information and legal services
With the end of DACA and a fast approaching renewal deadline of October 5th, 2017 for those eligible, it's essential to get legal help and information right away. Here are some ways to do that.

DACA infographics (pictures with information)

United We Dream - United We Dream is the largest immigrant youth-led organization in the nation. Our powerful nonpartisan network is made up of over 100,000 immigrant youth and allies and 55 affiliate organizations in 26 states. We organize and advocate for the dignity and fair treatment of immigrant youth and families, regardless of immigration status.

My (Un)documented LIfe - Our mission at My Undocumented Life blog is to provide up-to-date information and resources to undocumented immigrants. We post scholarship opportunities that are open to undocumented students, strategies for navigating the educational system, information on how to apply for DACA/Advanced Parole, news on DAPA, and much more. Most importantly, we want to provide a sense of community to our diverse group of readers.

Immigration Information and Resources - on the SMAS ESL Student Blog - compiled in Fall 2017.  Many different resources.  Please look through.  

This page on smace.org website - has community resources.  They are tagged by topic.  Look for the immigration tag.


From the Ready California website:

(If the links here do not work, go to the Ready California website)

FEE ASSISTANCE
Please note: support from each listed source is only available until the limited funds are depleted.

NATIONAL

• Mission Asset Fund is providing scholarships for DACA renewals to anyone eligible to renew. Apply at LC4DACA.org
• Undocumedia is offering DACA renewal grants to anyone eligible to renew. ​Apply using this form.
• The Mexican Consulate is offering fee assistance to its nationals in all 50 states. You don’t have to make an appointment, just go to the Consulate between 9am and 5pm and ask for the department of consular protection.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

• The Mexican Consulate will pay renewal fees for Mexican nationals referred by an accredited community legal service organization. Call 213-386-2731 for more information or go to 2401 E 6^th St. Los Angeles, CA 90057 between 9am to 1pm Monday to Friday.
  
• The Guatemalan Consulate will pay renewal fees for Guatemalan nationals. Anyone interested should go to the Consulate at 1975 Riverside Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90039 on September 27th from 8am to 3pm for help filling out the renewal form and fee assistance. For more information call 213 271-3897 or write losangeles@minex.gob.gt.

SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY

• The San Francisco Office of Citizenship and Immigrant Affairs is offering renewal grants to anyone with a demonstrated connection to SF (live, work, or attend school). Requests can be submitted using this form by a community legal service organization. Please also email christian@lsc-sf.org to confirm your request was received.

OTHER FEE ASSISTANCE
Check out this extremely helpful list of crowdfunding efforts and other sources of support for renewal fees on the Informed Immigrant website.

HOTLINE

For real-time information on DACA and legal resources in your community, call 844-411-DACA. The hotline is currently available in Spanish and English from 8am-5pm PT Monday to Friday and is operated by NALEO.

LEGAL ASSISTANCE

To find DACA renewal clinics and workshops in California, go here. To find a free or low-cost immigration legal services provider, go here.

VOLUNTEER INFO

To volunteer to help with DACA renewals in California, visit the OneJustice DACA Response page.

OTHER RESOURCES

Community Advisory: What Do I Need to Know about the End of DACA?
Recording: DACA Updates Webinar
Infographic: DACA Renewal
FAQs: End of DACA
Practice Advisory: Crimes and DACA Renewals

DACA Update

Here is an update about DACA from the blog mydocumentedlife.org:

Update about DACA

– If you qualify for DACA, but have not submitted your application: DACA initial request applications will no longer be reviewed.

– If you currently have DACA: ...You can keep using your employment authorization/social security number.

– If your DACA is going to expire before/on March 5, 2018: You can apply to renew it. Note: You should try to submit your renewal application by October 2017 (this will be within the six-month period needed to receive a decision).

- Regarding advance parole: If you have DACA and had plans to travel abroad using advance parole (AP), new Form I-131 applications for advance parole will not be reviewed. If you received your AP approval before 9/5/17, it will still be honored. Pending applications will be denied and the money will be refunded.

The full post:

Earlier this summer, Ken Paxton (attorney general of Texas) issued a statement where he called on the current administration to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) federal program. Ken was joined by 10 other states who threatened to sue the administration if they did not end DACA by Tuesday September 5th of 2017. As a response, this morning (9/5/17), attorney general Jeff Sessions announced that the Trump administration is rescinding DACA. The administration is now giving Congress six months to act and come up with a “solution”.

What does this mean for undocumented young adults?

– If you qualify for DACA, but have not submitted your application: DACA initial request applications will no longer be reviewed.

– If you currently have DACA: You can keep using your employment authorization/social security number.

– If your DACA is going to expire before/on March 5, 2018: You can apply to renew it. Note: You should submit your renewal application by October 5, 2017 (this will be within the six-month period needed to receive a decision).

– Regarding advance parole: If you have DACA and had plans to travel abroad using advance parole (AP), new Form I-131 applications for advance parole will not be reviewed. If you received your AP approval before 9/5/17, it will still be honored. Pending applications will be denied and the money will be refunded.

Here’s the official text from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS):

• “Will adjudicate—on an individual, case-by-case basis—properly filed pending DACA initial requests and associated applications for Employment Authorization Documents that have been accepted by the Department as of the date of this memorandum.

• Will reject all DACA initial requests and associated applications for Employment Authorization Documents filed after the date of this memorandum.

• Will adjudicate—on an individual, case by case basis—properly filed pending DACA renewal requests and associated applications for Employment Authorization Documents from current beneficiaries that have been accepted by the Department as of the date of this memorandum, and from current beneficiaries whose benefits will expire between the date of this memorandum and March 5, 2018 that have been accepted by the Department as of October 5, 2017.

• Will reject all DACA renewal requests and associated applications for Employment Authorization Documents filed outside of the parameters specified above.

• Will not terminate the grants of previously issued deferred action or revoke Employment Authorization Documents solely based on the directives in this memorandum for the remaining duration of their validity periods.

• Will not approve any new Form I-131 applications for advance parole under standards associated with the DACA program, although it will generally honor the stated validity period for previously approved applications for advance parole. Notwithstanding the continued validity of advance parole approvals previously granted, CBP will—of course—retain the authority it has always had and exercised in determining the admissibility of any person presenting at the border and the eligibility of such persons for parole. Further, USCIS will—of course—retain the authority to revoke or terminate an advance parole document at any time.

• Will administratively close all pending Form I-131 applications for advance parole filed under standards associated with the DACA program, and will refund all associated fees.

• Will continue to exercise its discretionary authority to terminate or deny deferred action at any time when immigration officials determine termination or denial of deferred action is appropriate.”

Here is DHS’s Frequently Asked Questions page regarding DACA that may also be helpful.

What can we do during this time?

1) Take care of yourself and loved ones, and reach out for support. Undoubtedly, the administration’s decision to rescind DACA will have devastating consequences in our community. We must support each other and take care of our health.

2) Stay up to date. At My Undocumented Life blog, we will continue to provide the latest information on DACA, advance parole, ways to take action/support undocumented immigrants, and more.

3) Join an immigrant rights organization in your community. You are not alone. The decision to rescind DACA (and the ongoing attacks on the undocumented community more broadly) are inhumane and unjust. We must organize, fight back, and escalate. As one of my dear friends shared, “nos quitaron tanto, que nos quitaron el miedo”.

Make sure to bookmark and share our more general Post-Election Information page which contains other relevant information and resources.

Be sure to “like” this blog on Facebook and subscribe to get daily updates on new scholarship opportunities, DACA, DAPA, & much more – see top right corner of page (or scroll down if you are visiting from your phone).

Know Your Rights and Options - Webinar Slides

Here are the slides from the National Immigration Law Center webinar for community college and adult school students: