Invite Dreamers to learn about and begin the deferred action immigration process
(CAMDEN) – In conjunction with the office of US Senator Robert Menendez (D-New Jersey), Assemblyman Angel Fuentes (D-Camden/Gloucester) hosted a DREAM Relief Information Session on Wednesday, September 12, 2012 at the Camden City Council Chambers in City Hall. Dreamers were invited to learn how to apply for work permits and deferred action, which will allow them to continue learning and working in the United States without fear of deportation.
“The DREAM Act allows those people who have lived in this country most of their lives to finally access the programs and opportunities that they have earned,” said Assemblyman Fuentes. “These individuals are students, graduating at the top of their class who are unable to access financial aid or other benefits. They are veterans who have laid their lives on the lines in defense of a country that is their home in heart if not in name. They are upstanding citizens this country should be proud to call ours. I encourage those members of our community who feel that they will be positively affected by this initiative to come out and take advantage of these resources.”
On June 15, 2012, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that certain people who had come to the United States as children and who meet several key guidelines may request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal, and would then be eligible for work authorization. US Citizenship and Immigration Service, as well as legal professionals, were on hand to answer questions and provide legal information about the process.
“I’ve been pushing for relief for Dreamers for several years. The time has come to harness and develop the talent that all of our young people have to offer,” said Senator Menendez. “The time has come to allow thousands of young men and women who are kept from enrolling at colleges and universities to finally achieve their full potential, ultimately being full participants in American life and full contributors to the American economy through their ingenuity, skills, and hard work. That’s what the DREAM Act has always been about, and today these young men and women can begin that process.”
Those encouraged to attend included any interested community members and young students born after June 15, 1981 who arrived in the US before the age of 16 and have stayed here continuously for five years.