FIVE UNDOCUMENTED STUDENT LEADERS WHO WERE ARRESTED AFTER CHALLENGING LOCAL AND NATIONAL LAWS TO DEMAND ADMINISTRATIVE RELIEF GO TO COURT

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

MEDIA ADVISORY: FIVE UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS CHALLENGE LOCAL AND FEDERAL LAW; WHITE HOUSE RESPONSE PENDING

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

October 13, 2011

CONTACT:
Alma Castrejon
(213) 925-2671
dreamteamlosangeles@gmail.com

FIVE UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS CHALLENGE LOCAL AND FEDERAL LAW; WHITE HOUSE RESPONSE PENDING

WHAT: Press conference with the five undocumented students who were arrested yesterday at the Immigration Custom Enforcement (ICE) Chief Prosecutor’s office.

WHEN: Thursday, October 13, 2011 10:00AM

WHERE: 606 S. Olive Street Los Angeles, CA 90014

WHY:  The five youth Neidi Dominguez, Nancy Meza, Francisco Bravo, Adrian Gonzalez and Tony Ortuno met with Los Angeles ICE Chief Prosecutor and urged her and President Obama to grant Administrative Relief to DREAM Act – eligible youth. Although the five students were released the same day, they still face the threat of deportation as there is no clear mechanism to protect them from immigration authorities.

The five students were allowed to meet with ICE Chief Prosecutor Workeneh and made the demand that she use her power to put them in communication with Secretary Napolitano to begin the conversation on Administrative Relief for DREAM Act – eligible youth. A response from the White House is still pending.

SPONSORS: Dream Team Los Angeles (DTLA) and Orange County Dream Team (OCDT)

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PRESIDENTE OBAMA: TIENE EL PODER EJECUTIVO PARA DAR UN AMPARÓ ADMINISTRATIVO A JÓVENES INDOCUMENTADOS ELEGIBLES PARA EL DREAM ACT

COMUNICADO DE PRENSA

PARA DIFUSIÓN INMEDIATA:                                        Contacto: Alma Castrejón
10 de octubre 2011                                                                Tel: (213) 925-2671

PRESIDENTE OBAMA: TIENE EL PODER EJECUTIVO PARA DAR UN AMPARÓ ADMINISTRATIVO  A JÓVENES INDOCUMENTADOS ELEGIBLES PARA EL DREAM ACT

QUÉ: Conferencia de prensa anunciando el lanzamiento de la campaña nacional pidiendo al presidente Obama que pare las deportaciones de estudiantes indocumentados y les de la oportunidad de tener un permiso de trabajo mediante un amparó ejecutivo.

CUÁNDO: martes, 11 de octubre 2011, 10:00 AM

LUGAR: 300 N. Los Ángeles St. Los Ángeles, CA 90012

POR QUÉ: Los jóvenes indocumentados y  la comunidad inmigrante tenían la esperanza de que los recientes anuncios del presidente Obama y el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS) sería un alivio para los jóvenes elegibles para el DREAM Act poniendo fin a su deportación. Sin embargo, debido a programas como Comunidades Seguras y 287g, y la falta de un mecanismo claro de aplicación, el número de jóvenes indocumentados que están en la cárcel y son deportados a países que apenas conocen sigue en aumento.

El tema de la inmigración sigue siendo una prioridad para los votantes latinos. El presidente Obama debe demostrar a los votantes latinos y la comunidad inmigrante su apoyo a los jóvenes elegibles para el DREAM Act tomando accion y haciendo uso de su poder ejecutivo.

PATROCINADORES: Dream Team Los Angeles (DTLA), Orange County Dream Team (OCDT), San Fernando Valley Dream Team (SFVDT), miembros de la comunidad y aliados.

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PRESIDENT OBAMA: GRANT ADMINISTRATIVE RELIEF TO DREAM ACT ELIGIBLE YOUTH

MEDIA ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                 Contact: Alma Castrejon
October 10, 2011                                            Cell: (213) 925-2671

PRESIDENT OBAMA: GRANT ADMINISTRATIVE RELIEF TO DREAM ACT ELIGIBLE YOUTH

WHAT: Press event announcing the launch of the national campaign asking President Obama to grant Administrative Relief to DREAM Act-eligible youth.

WHEN: Tuesday, October 11, 2011, 10:00AM

WHERE: 300 N. Los Angeles St. Los Angeles, CA 90012 (Front steps of building)

WHY: 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.

The issue of immigration continues to be a top priority for Latino voters. President Obama needs to prove to Latino voters his support for DREAM Act -eligible youth by taking action and make use of his executive power to protect undocumented youth from deportation and provide them with the opportunity to apply for work authorization.

SPONSORS: Dream Team Los Angeles, Orange County Dream Team, San Fernando Valley Dream Team, community members and allies.

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MEDIA ADVISORY: LAST PUSH FOR THE CALIFORNIA DREAM ACT

MEDIA ADVISORY

For Immediate Release
October 4, 2011

Contact:
Nancy Meza
Phone: (424) 785-4013
Email: dreamteamlosangeles@gmail.com

LAST PUSH FOR THE CALIFORNIA DREAM ACT

Undocumented Students Deliver Hundreds of Petitions to Governor Brown and Remind Him of His Campaign Promise to Sign the CA Dream Act into Law

WHAT: Undocumented students will hold a press conference and deliver over a thousand petitions from supporters of AB131, which would grant undocumented students the opportunity to compete for and received public financial aid.

WHEN: Wednesday, October 5, 2011, 8:30AM

WHERE: Ronald Reagan Building 300 South Spring St. Los Angeles, CA

WHO: Local DREAM Teams, community members and allies

WHY: Currently, AB131, the California Dream Act sits in the Governor’s desk. Governor Brown has until October 9 to sign or veto the bill. If signed into law, the California Dream Act would allow thousands of California undocumentted students to qualify for state financial aid and thus accomplish their educational goals.

Undocumented students face many obstacles as a result of a broken immigration system, by signing AB131 into law, these students would be given the opportunity to overcome a few of those challenges, contribute to their communities and to the state of California.

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CALIFORNIA STUDENTS PRESSURE SENATE FOR THE PASSAGE OF THE CALIFORNIA DREAM ACT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

August 17, 2011

Media Contact:

Jonathan Perez (323) 637-5792

Media@cadta.org

CALIFORNIA STUDENTS PRESSURE SENATE FOR THE PASSAGE OF THE CALIFORNIA DREAM ACT

What: Students, community members and allies rally in support of AB 131 (CA Dream Act).

When: Thursday, August 18th, 10:00am – 12:00pm

Where: Ronald Reagan Building 300 South Spring St. Los Angeles, CA

Who: California Dream Team Alliance (CADTA), Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE) LA, Labor Unions, community leaders, students and allies

Why: Currently the California Dream Act (AB 131) is sitting in the suspension folder in   the California Senate, if not released by August 25th, the bill will die along with the dreams of over 500,000 undocumented students in California. Both Senator         Steinberg and Senator Kehoe have the power to free the CA Dream Act, allow it to be voted on and eventually make it to the Governor’s desk.

The California Dream Act will allow thousands of students in the state to finish their educational goals and contribute to California by providing state financial aid to them. The California Dream Act is a significant piece of legislation for students in California who continue to struggle to finish their educational goals and complete obtain their degrees.

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IMMIGRANT YOUTH AND FAITH-BASED COMMUNITIES UNITE TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS

MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 15, 2011
Media Contact:
Nancy Meza (424) 785-4013
nancymeza.ucla@gmail.com

Immigrant Youth and Faith-Based Communities Unite To Continue The Fight For Immigrant Rights

Undocumented immigrant youth have been at the forefront of the immigration battle across the United States. After a historic DREAM Act campaign in 2010, students have regained momentum and continue to organize at the national and local level. Long-time allies, inter-faith leaders, students and community members will join together to continue to fight for immigrant rights. In this Town Hall the faith-based community and  immigrant youth will come together and dialogue about issues such as immigration enforcement, deportations, access to higher education and other issues affecting the immigrant community.

What: Informational Town Hall on the future of the youth immigrant rights movement nationally and locally.

When: Tuesday, August 16th, 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Where: Wilshire United Methodist Church 4350 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA

Who: United Methodist Church Immigration Task Force, Cal-Pac, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE) – Los Angeles, Dream Team Los Angeles (DTLA), California Dream Team Alliance (CADTA), UCLA Labor Center – Dream Resource Center 

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THERE WILL BE NO CELEBRATION UNTIL THE CALIFORNIA SENATE DELIVERS AB131 TO THE GOVERNOR’S DESK

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Media Contact
Ivan Ceja
Cell: (310) 748-3056
Email: iceja310@gmail.com 

THERE WILL BE NO CELEBRATION UNTIL THE CALIFORNIA SENATE DELIVERS AB131 TO THE GOVERNOR’S DESK

What: California undocumented youth and allies will hold a press event in front of Marco Antonio Firebaugh High School to voice their disappointment in the lack of leadership from California Legislators and Governor Brown.

Where: Marco Antonio Firebaugh High School 5246 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Lynwood, CA

When: Thursday, July 28th, 2011 10:00AM

Who: California Dream Team Alliance( CADTA), California Dream Network (CDN), undocumented youth, faith based leaders and community members

Why: On Monday, Governor Jerry Brown signed the slimmer portion of the California Dream Act into law. Undocumented students are thankful that AB130 will be enacted into law; however, the more substantial portion of the CA Dream Act, AB131, needs to be taken out of Suspense in the Appropriations Committee and signed by the Governor in order to have a true CA Dream Act.

Undocumented youth and community members have chosen to gather at Marco Antonio Firebaugh High School because the core elements in AB 131 are what the late Assemblymember dedicated his life to. Assemblymember Firebaugh authored AB540, which allowed many undocumented youth to pay in-state tuition as opposed to the extremely high out of state and international fees. Students and community members will remind the state of California and its legislators that we must continue Marco Antonio Firebaugh’s legacy of supporting equal access to education by passing AB131.

AB131 will have the greater impact for undocumented students in their educational journeys as it would provide state financial aid to undocumented students. Currently, undocumented students are not eligible for any state or federal financial aid making financing their education nearly impossible.

California has already invested in these students’ K-12 education and will see a return in that investment by preparing and assisting financially a future educated workforce. Full passage of the CA Dream Act will be an investment in California’s future.

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dtla

dtla

For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Alma Castrejon
Cell: (424) 260-3751

UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS THANK GOVERNOR BROWN FOR SIGNING HALF OF THE CA DREAM ACT, BUT THERE WILL BE NO CELEBRATION UNTIL THE CALIFORNIA SENATE DELIVERS AB131 TO THE GOVERNOR’S DESK

Los Angeles, CA – Governor Jerry Brown is expected to sign the slimmer portion of the California Dream Act into law this Monday, July 25th. Undocumented students are thankful that AB130 will be enacted into law; however, the more substantial portion of the CA Dream Act, AB131, needs to be taken out of Suspense in the Appropriations Committee and signed into law in order to have a true CA Dream Act.

AB131 will have the greater impact for undocumented students in their educational journeys as it would provide state financial aid to undocumented students. Currently, undocumented students are not eligible for any state or federal financial aid making financing their education nearly impossible.

California has already invested in these students’ K-12 education and will see a return in that investment by preparing and assisting financially a future educated workforce. Full passage of the CA Dream Act will be an investment in California’s future.

Undocumented students in California have been fighting since 2006  to have access to state and institutional financial aid and will continue to put pressure on the state legislature to deliver AB131 to the Governor’s desk.  Undocumented students also remind Governor Brown of his campaign promise to pass the CA Dream Act. California has an opportunity to lead the country by allowing undocumented students to be able to access financial aid and make their dreams of graduating from college a reality.

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Dream Team Los Angeles (DTLA) is an autonomous group of students and community members working toward the empowerment of immigrant youth and the passage of the DREAM Act. DTLA is led by undocumented students in Los Angeles who are undocumented and unafraid and have been organizing locally and nationally for the right to legalization of undocumented youth. DTLA can be followed on Twitter, @DreamTeam_LA

 

“Intersecting Realities:Visions of Immigrant Narrative,” Art Exhibit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday June 17, 2011
Media Contact : Nancy Meza  (424)785-4013

“Intersecting Realities:Visions of Immigrant Narrative,” Art Exhibit

Why: This art show attempts to showcase the multiple and complex identities of undocumented immigrant students. For the past 10 years immigrant youth have organized all over the Nation for the passage of the Federal DREAM Act and for the rights of immigrants. Dreamers have emerged as leaders and have created an organic movement from the ground up. Yet Dreamers also posses multiple identities beyond organizers and activists, they are sisters, brothers, daughters, loved ones, sons, partners, workers and artist.  Through the arts we hope to show the identities of immigrant students, the complete human reality.

What: Over 200 students and community members will be present at the UCLA Downtown  Labor Center  for art exhibit  called “Intersecting Realities: Visions of Immigrant Narrative.’” The art that we will be showing has been critical for the  DREAM Act, immigrant right movements and social  justice movements.  We  will be displaying the  “Dream Visualized,” project was inspired by the life of Cinthya Felix and Tam Tran, two great women Dream Act leaders who passed away last May 2010 and we will be also showing different multi media art.

When:  Saturday June 18, 2011 from  6:15pm-10pm

Where: UCLA Downtown Labor Center
675 South Park View Street
Los Angeles, CA 90057

Who:  The opening of the art exhibit will show “Dream Visualized” imagines by Pocho1, the work from Im;arte, and Julio Salgado. International photographer Pocho-1 documents political and cultural movements, Im;arte  is a collective of passionate  immigrant  artist  challenging people to re-imagine their voices and stories  in order to create a new immigrant narrative and Julio Salgado is a artist who has provided many of the art work around the Dream Act. We will also be unveiling of DREAM Mural and premiering the latest video from Dreamers Adrift. Poetry by Janet Gonzalez, Jesus Iniguez, Mariella Saba and Erick Huerta. We will end the  night  with a  performance  by  La  Chamba.