DREAM Weekly Update

Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) has signed on as a cosponsor of the DREAM Act! We now have the support of both senators from the state of Wisconsin. Congratulations to Voces de la Frontera and all the other advocates in Wisconsin! Senator Kohl's co-sponsorship makes Wisconsin the 9th state to have both senators sign on as cosponsors of the bill. The other states are CA, WA, CO, IL, MD, CT, NY, and VT.
Last week, the documentary "Papers" (more information below) was featured on CNN Newsroom with Rick Sanchez. The segment, which aired last Thursday, included interviews with DREAM Act student Walter Lara and "Papers" producer Anne Galisky. Click here to watch.
An editorial in the New York Times highlights the stark effects on the children of immigrants in the absence of policies and programs designed to support them and their parents. The piece is based on the work of Marcelo and Carola Suárez-Orozco, fellows at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton and co-directors of immigration studies at New York University.

Upcoming Events

Washington, DC, screening of "Papers." The movie "Papers" is coming to the nation's capital. "Papers" is the story of undocumented youth and the challenges they face as they turn 18 without legal status. For more information on the movie, click here and to find upcoming screenings near you, click here.
The 7th National Low-Income Immigrant Rights Conference, Dec. 6-8, 2009, in Arlington, Virginia (just outside Washington, DC). Hundreds will gather in December to shape an agenda for immigrants’ rights in these historic times. Don't miss this opportunity to learn about the latest policy trends, share your ideas, and help build the movement.

Sign-On Letter in Support of DREAM

Here is a national sign-on letter in support of the DREAM Act (H.R. 1751/S.729) with current signatories. Please forward this message broadly. If your organization has not signed on, please consider endorsing this letter.

Contact Us

We will report on any feedback we receive from advocates on meetings, events targeting members of Congress, as well as press clippings, so please forward all these items to Tolu Olubunmi.

To subscribe to "DREAM Weekly Updates," email Eric Butts, writing "Subscribe to DREAM listserv" in the message's subject line and providing your contact information in the message's body.

DREAM Weekly Update

Wednesday, NOVEMBER 4, 2009

Gains

We picked up three new cosponsors in the House this week. The addition of Representatives Joe Sestak (D-PA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), and Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-MI) brings us to a total of 106 cosponsors!
NILC, National Council of La Raza, Services Employees International Union (SEIU), and several other national organizations sent letters to members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus that have not yet cosponsored the DREAM Act. The letter states, in part, that "[c]o-sponsorship of the DREAM Act is in line with the Progressive Caucus' official position on immigration reform...[S]upport [for this bill] shows that the political will needed to achieve immigration reform is growing and that our national leaders are committed to getting immigration reform done." A copy of the letter is available here.
An article published by the Medill News Service on Nov. 2 details the struggles of undocumented immigrant students. Two members of United We DREAM Network are featured in the article: Matias Ramos and Lizbeth Mateo.

Upcoming Events

Washington, DC, screening of "Papers." The movie "Papers" is coming to the nation's capital. "Papers" is the story of undocumented youth and the challenges they face as they turn 18 without legal status. "Papers" is also going to be discussed live on CNN's Rick Sanchez show next Tuesday, Nov. 10, at approximately 3:45-4:00pm ET. The conversation will continue online for another 15 minutes or so until about 4:15. Walter Lara will be joining "Papers" producer, Anne Galisky, in Atlanta for the live, in-person interview.
- Prince George's Community College is hosting a screening of "Papers" on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 6:30 PM. The event will be held at the Largo campus in the Student Center. For more information visit www.papersthemovie.com or contact P.G. Community College at 301-322-0750.
The 7th National Low-Income Immigrant Rights Conference, Dec. 6-8, 2009, in Arlington, Virginia (just outside Washington, DC). Hundreds will gather in December to shape an agenda for immigrants’ rights in these historic times. Don't miss this opportunity to learn about the latest policy trends, share your ideas, and help build the movement.

Contact Us

We will report on any feedback we receive from advocates on meetings, events targeting members of Congress, as well as press clippings, so please forward all these items to Tolu Olubunmi.

To subscribe to "DREAM Weekly Updates," email Mai Huynh, writing "Subscribe to DREAM listserv" in the message's subject line and providing your contact information in the message's body.