The​ ​DREAM  Act​ ​Outreach  Toolkit  What​ ​is​ ​the​ ​DREAM​ ​Act?

Of​ ​the​ ​multiple​ ​bills​ ​Congress​ ​has​ ​introduced​ ​in​ ​response​ ​to​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of DACA,​ ​we​ ​believe​ ​that​ ​a​ ​clean​ ​DREAM​ ​Act​ ​provides​ ​the​ ​best​ ​solution with​ ​the​ ​best​ ​chance​ ​of​ ​succeeding.​ ​It​ ​provides​ t​ he​ ​shortest​ ​path​ ​to

citizenship​ ​(5​ ​years​ ​for​ ​those​ ​with​ ​DACA​ ​and​ ​13​ ​for​ ​those​ ​who​ ​were

ineligible​ ​for​ ​DACA)​ ​and​ ​will​ ​include​ ​more​ ​people​ ​than​ ​any​ ​other​ ​bill presented.​ ​It​ ​also​ ​already​ ​has​ ​huge​ ​bipartisan​ ​support​​ ​and​ ​is​ ​well

known​ ​across​ ​the​ ​country.​ ​If​ ​you​ ​are​ ​interested​ ​in​ ​learning​ ​about​ ​the other​ ​bills,​ ​you​ ​can​ ​check​ ​out​ ​the​ ​comparison​ ​made​ ​by​ ​the​ ​National Immigration​ ​Law​ ​Center​ ​here​.

To​ ​be​ ​eligible​ ​for​ ​the​ ​DREAM​ ​Act​ ​you​ ​would​ ​need​ ​to: ➔ Have​ ​arrived​ ​in​ ​the​ ​U.S.​ ​before​ ​you​ ​were​ ​18

➔ Have​ ​had​ ​to​ ​arrive​ ​to​ ​the​ ​U.S.​ ​less​ ​than​ ​4​ ​years​ ​before​ ​law​ ​is​ ​enacted ➔ Have​ ​good​ ​moral​ ​character​ ​ ​(Minimal​ ​legal​ ​trouble) ➔ Have​ ​to​ ​meet​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​following​ ​requirements

❏ Must​ ​have​ ​a​ ​high​ ​school​ ​diploma​ ​or​ ​GED​ ​or​ ​be​ ​enrolled​ ​in​ ​higher​ ​education ❏ Be​ ​employed​ ​for​ ​three​ ​years

❏ Serve​ ​in​ ​the​ ​armed​ ​forces​ ​for​ ​two​ ​years

     

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How​ ​Do​ ​I​ ​Find​ ​My​ ​Representatives? Follow​ ​the​ ​links​ ​below​ ​to​ ​find​ ​your​ ​United​ ​States​ ​representatives. Find​ ​your​ ​representatives​ ​in​ ​the​ ​House​ ​here​. Find​ ​your​ ​representatives​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Senate​ ​here​.

Calling​ ​Your​ ​Reps:

You​ ​can​ ​then​ ​use​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​following​ ​two​ ​scripts​ ​provided​ ​to​ ​you​ ​below.​ ​Do​ ​not​ ​feel​ ​limited​ ​by these​ ​as​ ​they​ ​are​ ​mostly​ ​there​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​an​ ​outline.

The​ ​Short​ ​and​ ​Sweet

Hello,​ ​my​ ​name​ ​is​ ​_______________.​ ​I​ ​am​ ​calling​ ​as​ ​a​ ​constituent​ ​to​ ​urge​ ​my​ ​representative​ ​to support​ ​our​ ​immigrant​ ​community​ ​by​ ​passing​ ​a​ c​ lean,​ ​bipartisan​ ​DREAM​ ​Act.​ ​Thank​ ​you​ ​very much. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Give​ ​‘Em​ ​Hill Hello,​ ​my​ ​name​ ​is​ ​_________​ ​and​ ​I’m​ ​calling​ ​as​ ​a​ ​constituent​ ​to​ ​urge​ ​my​ ​representative​ ​to​ ​pass a​ ​clean,​ ​bipartisan​ ​DREAM​ ​Act​.​ ​It​ ​would​ ​create​ ​a​ ​legal​ ​pathway​ ​to​ ​citizenship​ ​that​ ​does​ ​not currently​ ​exist​ ​for​ ​the​ ​800,000​ ​dreamers.​ ​They​ ​were​ ​brought​ ​here​ ​at​ ​a​ ​young​ ​age​ ​with​ ​no​ ​control of​ ​their​ ​circumstances​ ​but​ ​have​ ​since​ ​contributed​ ​largely​ ​to​ ​society,​ ​especially​ ​economically. Leaving​ ​them​ ​in​ ​limbo​ ​with​ ​no​ ​pathway​ ​to​ ​citizenship​ ​is​ ​negligent​ ​and​ ​deporting​ ​them​ ​to​ ​a country​ ​they​ ​have​ ​never​ ​known​ ​is​ ​inhumane.​ ​These​ ​people​ ​are​ ​my​ ​friends,​ ​coworkers,​ ​and neighbors,​ ​and​ ​they​ ​deserve​ ​justice.​ ​That​ ​is​ ​why​ ​I​ ​urge​ ​you​ ​to​ ​support​ ​the​ ​DREAM​ ​Act.​ ​Thank you​ ​very​ ​much.

     

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Letter​ ​Writing/Email:

An​ ​alternative​ ​to​ ​calling​ ​your​ ​representatives​ ​can​ ​take​ ​the​ ​form​ ​of​ ​letter​ ​writing​ ​or​ ​emailing​ ​your representative.​ ​The​ ​following​ ​is​ ​a​ ​sample​ ​of​ ​what​ ​a​ ​great​ ​letter​ ​can​ ​be! Return​ ​Address

Your​ ​Name Address City,​ ​State​ ​ ​Zip​ ​Code

Date

[Insert​ ​Date]

Salutation

Dear​ ​Representative​ ​[Insert​ ​Last​ ​Name]:

Introduce yourself: My name is [Insert Your Name] and I reside at [Insert Your your name, address and Address] in [Insert Your City], [Insert Your State] and I am a school to identify that you student​ ​at​ ​St.​ ​Edward's​ ​University. are​ ​a​ ​constituent Why are you writing your Representative? Make this personal: share your story, why is this important​ ​to​ ​you?

I am writing to ask you to stand with our immigrant community and support a clean, bipartisan DREAM Act. The DACA program has allowed almost 800,000 undocumented youth to get jobs, support their families, and get an education. The end of DACA means that these people are left scared and unsure of their future. The DREAM Act would create a pathway to citizenship for these people that does not exist. Dreamers are my friends, neighbors, and classmates. I urge you to support a clean,​ ​bipartisan​ ​DREAM​ ​Act.

Thank your Representative for​ ​his/her​ ​time

Thank​ ​you​ ​for​ ​your​ ​time​ ​and​ ​considering​ ​my​ ​request.

Closing​ ​with​ ​your​ ​name

Sincerely, [Insert​ ​Your​ ​Name]

     

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Petitions: There​ ​have​ ​been​ ​many​ ​petitions​ ​created​ ​in​ ​support​ ​of​ ​the​ ​DREAM​ ​act​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​pressure certain​ ​representatives.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​another​ ​great​ ​way​ ​to​ ​be​ ​heard​ ​and​ ​add​ ​your​ ​voice​ ​to​ ​the

conversation.​ ​We​ ​recommended​ ​looking​ ​at​ ​the​ ​following​ ​petitions​ ​that​ ​have​ ​been​ ​created. ➔ United​ ​We​ ​Dream​,​ ​a​ ​national​ ​organization​ ​created​ ​to​ ​advocate​ ​for​ ​undocumented​ ​youth across​ ​the​ ​U.S.,​ ​has​ ​created​ ​a​ ​petition​ ​urging​ ​politicians​ ​to​ ​take​ ​action.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​find​ ​the petition​ ​here​.

➔ FWD.us,​ ​a​ ​national​ ​organization​ ​who​ ​focuses​ ​on​ ​working​ ​with​ ​undocumented​ ​youth​ ​and business​ ​across​ ​the​ ​nation,​ ​has​ ​joined​ ​the​ ​conversation​ ​as​ ​well.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​find​ ​their petition​ ​here​.

Social​ ​Media:

Social​ ​media​ ​is​ ​also​ ​a​ ​good​ ​way​ ​to​ ​be​ ​engaged​ ​in​ ​the​ ​conversation​ ​and​ ​to​ ​encourage​ ​others​ ​to take​ ​action.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​always​ ​@your​ ​representative​ ​and​ ​let​ ​them​ ​know​ ​about​ ​how​ ​you​ ​feel​ ​and your​ ​support​ ​of​ ​the​ ​undocumented​ ​movement.​ ​Follow​ ​and​ ​participate​ ​on​ ​social​ ​media campaigns​ ​such​ ​as​ ​the​ ​#dreamactnow​ ​or​ ​the​ ​#21daystodream​ ​campaign.

Text​ ​Messages:

An​ ​easy​ ​way​ ​to​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​that​ ​your​ ​voice​ ​is​ ​being​ ​heard​ ​is​ ​by​ ​sending​ ​a​ ​text!​ R ​ esistbòt​ ​has

created​ ​an​ ​incredibly​ ​easy​ ​and​ ​amazing​ ​way​ ​to​ ​contact​ ​your​ ​representative.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​reach​ ​their website​ ​by​ ​clicking​ ​on​ ​the​ ​following​ ​link​.

You​ ​can​ ​text​ ​RESIST​ ​to​ ​50409​ ​and​ ​they​ ​will​ ​ask​ ​you​ ​for​ ​a​ ​message​ ​that​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​send​ ​your representative.​ ​They​ ​will​ ​use​ ​your​ ​number​ ​to​ ​find​ ​your​ ​representative​ ​and​ ​fax​ ​them​ ​your message​ ​so​ ​that​ ​you​ ​are​ ​being​ ​heard.

     

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Contributors If​ ​you​ ​are​ ​interested​ ​in​ ​learning​ ​more​ ​about​ ​getting​ ​involved​ ​and​ ​about​ ​the​ ​immigrant​ ​community you​ ​can​ ​reach​ ​out​ ​to​ ​the​ ​following​ ​organizations​ ​here​ ​on​ ​campus:

Monarchs​ ​On​ ​The​ ​Hilltop

An​ ​organization​ ​based​ ​in​ ​the​ ​St.​ ​Edward's​ ​campus​ ​whose​ ​goal​ ​is to​ ​advocate​ ​and​ ​provide​ ​resources​ ​for​ ​the​ ​undocumented community.​ ​We​ ​want​ ​to​ ​educate​ ​and​ ​inform​ ​on​ ​issues​ ​around​ ​the undocumented​ ​community​ ​but​ ​also​ ​provide​ ​a​ ​safe​ ​space​ ​for anyone​ ​who​ ​is​ ​dealing​ ​with​ ​problems​ ​regarding​ ​this​ ​issue. If​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​more​ ​about​ ​getting​ ​involved​ ​contact: Jose​ ​Garibay Vice-President Email:​ ​[email protected]

AmericaIWill A​ ​social​ ​justice​ ​empowerment​ ​organization​ ​that​ ​pushes​ ​students to​ ​be​ ​the​ ​change​ ​they​ ​want​ ​to​ ​see​ ​in​ ​their​ ​community.​ ​Through education​ ​and​ ​advocacy,​ ​this​ ​organization​ ​is​ ​action-oriented​ ​to making​ ​real​ ​change​ ​that​ ​starts​ ​locally. If​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​more​ ​about​ ​getting​ ​involved​ ​contact: Lilli​ ​Hime Director​ ​of​ ​AmericaIWill Email:​ ​[email protected]