Today, tens of thousands of young DREAM students began applying for the “Deferred Action” policy so they can work and live in the United States for up to two years without fear of deportation.

As the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) began accepting applications, public education workshops and meetings are being held nationwide to make the process as easy as possible for DREAMers.

“This opens the door for DREAMers to achieve their dreams of becoming permanent citizens of the U.S.,” said Irma Rivera, spokesperson for the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM). “While we are grateful for this step in the right direction, it is just one step toward achieving comprehensive immigration reform.”

“Today is not only the start of applying for deferred action. It is the continuation of our fight to help all undocumented immigrants who have come to this country to achieve better lives for themselves and their families,” River said. “FIRM will be mobilizing DREAMers in its organizing efforts to achieve comprehensive immigration reform on the local, state and federal levels.”
In June, President Obama took a moral stand to protect young undocumented immigrants eligible for the DREAM Act from deportation. These young people were brought here by their parents before they were 16 years old and have been raised celebrating the Fourth of July while also invaluably educating their classmates about their cultures.
“These young people know the United States as their country,” Rivera said. “Finally, they are on a path to that being a legal reality.”
FIRM is a network of community-based immigrant advocacy organizations in 30 states.

Contact: Donna De La Cruz, [email protected] (202) 339-9331