WASHINGTON, DC – Today, after years of immigrant youth–led organizing and advocacy, hundreds of thousands of young aspiring Americans known as “DREAMers” can begin the process of requesting work permits and protection from deportation, known as “deferred action.” For those who will be granted temporary relief under this new policy, America is their one and only home, and deferred action will make a tremendous difference in their lives.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began accepting requests for deferred action and work permits today. NILC is a proud member of the recently launched Own the Dream campaign, a national effort to help aspiring Americans brought to this country as children take advantage of the opportunity to request deferred action and work permits from USCIS. To learn how to request deferred action, we encourage you to take advantage of the following resources:
• Visit Own the Dream’s website at www.weownthedream.org to determine your eligibility, to find free or low-cost legal clinics and licensed, reputable attorneys in your area, to review information about deferred action, and to connect with other DREAMers.
• Visit www.uscis.gov for the deferred action application forms.
• Text “OwnIt” to 877877 to receive the latest alerts and updates about the deferred action policy.
• Call 1-800-DREAM-D-1 for information about the deferred action policy.
• Review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document developed by NILC and the United We Dream (UWD) Network. It’s available in English (last updated 8/15/12) and Spanish (last updated 8/7/12) and addresses key issues about the new policy, including who is eligible, what are the fees, and whether those individuals granted deferred action will be able to get a driver’s license and qualify for in-state tuition.
WARNING: Do NOT take advice from a notary public or an immigration consultant. Contact ONLY a qualified immigration lawyer or an accredited representative for legal advice on your case. If you have been scammed out of money by a lawyer or notario, visit www.uscis.gov/avoidscams or www.stopnotariofraud.org.
Donate to the Fund for DREAMERS! As DREAMers all over the country submit their requests for Deferred Action, Public Interest Projects is launching the Fund for DREAMers, a national fundraising effort to support them. The Fund for DREAMers will assist eligible young people, particularly low-income individuals, to defray the $465 application fees. The goal is to maximize the number of successful applicants by ensuring that qualified, low-income young immigrants are not deterred by their inability to pay the application fee. Donations will be tax-deductible and accepted through the trusted website Network for Good, or by check (see FAQ for address). To learn more about the Fund for DREAMers and/or to make a donation to help young immigrants to pursue their dreams, go to http://bit.ly/Fund4DreamersInfo.
