PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Carlos Amador
November 1st, 2011
Cell: (909) 524-6308
dreamteamlosangeles@gmail.com
FIVE UNDOCUMENTED STUDENT LEADERS WHO WERE ARRESTED AFTER CHALLENGING LOCAL AND NATIONAL LAWS TO DEMAND ADMINISTRATIVE RELIEF GO TO COURT
Undocumented youth, the immigrant community and supporters were hopeful that the recent announcements by President Obama and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would bring relief to DREAM Act-eligible youth by putting an end to their deportations. However, due to programs like Secure Communities and 287g, and the lack of a clear mechanism of implementation, the numbers of undocumented youth who are incarcerated, shackled and deported to countries they barely know continues to rise.
On October 12, 2011 five undocumented leaders of the immigrant rights movement Neidi Dominguez,Nancy Meza from Los Angeles;Tony Ortuño, Francisco Bravo and Adrian Gonzalez from Orange County were detained in Los Angeles, CA as they walked into ICE Chief Prosecutor’s office to demand that President Obama to stop the deportation of undocumented youth and allow them the opportunity to apply for work authorization. These leaders were arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department and released hours later.
The five undocumented student leaders highlighted the urgency for President Obama to take action on his words of support for DREAM Act-eligible youth. “We cannot continue to live in fear until Congress acts on the DREAM Act. President Obama needs to take action on his words and must exercise his executive power to grant Administrative Relief to DREAM Act – eligible youth,” said Tony Ortuño, one of the students who was arrested . The students will appear before a Judge Wednesday November 2nd 2011 and will be available to provide an update on the National Administrative Relief Campaign.
Interviews will be available upon request