URGENT: DACA Update

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 There are several time-critical activities that you can participate in to keep the pressure on to save DACA and TPS. Please see the following background information & details, generously provided by our friends at Cedar Lane Unitarian.

DACA YOUTH need your Support NOW

President Trump made known this afternoon that he will announce his decision on DACA on Tuesday, Sept 5. That’s the date that 10 anti-immigrant States Attorney Generals have indicated they will sue the Trump Administration, if Mr. Trump does not cancel DACA outright before that date.  The administration does not want to have to defend DACA in court.  He has promised to cancel DACA, but waivers in his words. Today one The Tennessee AG dropped out of the suit challenge and at least 10 Republican leaders have started speaking out in DACA’s defense, along with many corporate and civic leaders. We’ll see Tuesday.
The Need:   The Washington area interfaith community, through the DMV Sanctuary Congregation Network of which WES is a committed member, has organized several major public events this weekend to support DACA.
We encourage all WES members to speak out and participate in as many of these actions as you possibly can.

Events Where You Can Act
Now – Sept 5: NAKASEC’s 24-hour-per-day vigil in front of White House on Pennsylvania Avenue in support of DACA, from Aug 15 – Sept 5. If you work downtown or plan to spend any part of a day or evening in town between now and 6pm on September 5, stop by to show your support, even for 15 minutes during your lunch hour, a break, or beginning or end of your day. NAKASEC is the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium. NAKASEC is a participant in our DMV Sanctuary Network. Specific public prayer times are 8:30am and 5:30pm, daily.
Sunday, Sept 3: UUs staff the NAKASEC vigil. UUs, locally and from around country at the encouragement of the UUA and UUSC, are staffing the NAKASEC vigil. Starting with 8:30am prayers led by Cedar Lane’s Rev. Katie Romano Griffin, through 5:30pm evening prayers led by Rev Rob Keithan of All Souls.  Come in your WES and immigrant support shirts for all or part of this day/night.
Monday, Sept 4, 5:30pm prayers and rally at the NAKASEC vigil by DMV Sanctuary congregations as precursor to administration’s DACA announcement on September 5. Clergy, please wear religious attire.
Tuesday, Sept 5, 9:30am. National Day of Action in Support of DACA/TPS, across the country.
Gather: 9:30 AM at Lafayette Park in front of the White House (we will gather near center statue to discuss details of the plan)
Press Conference: 10:00 AM
March to USCIS: 12 PM (conditional on announcement)
  • Our response will be based on timing and content of announcement.
  • If there is no announcement by 12 noon, we will march to USCIS.
  • If there is an announcement upholding DACA, we will celebrate at the White House and proceed as a victory march shortly following.
  • If there is an announcement suspending DACA, we will proceed with the march from Lafayette Park to USCISC shortly after the announcement.

Contact: Omar Angel 202-699-0694 and we invite you to follow the Facebook event for any changes that may arise here.

Monday – Saturday, September 4 – 9, 8am – 8pm daily, RNC, 310 First Street, SE across  from Capitol South Metro Station.FIRM (Fair Immigration Reform Movement, a DMV Sanctuary ally and with support by DMV Sanctuary) is organizing a 5-day fast by DACA youth in front of the Republican National Committee headquarters on Capitol Hill. In anticipation that there could be congressional actions coming out after the administration’s announcement, these advocates are putting themselves and their safety on the line. Please stop by between 8am–8pm to support them!

Now and Continuing
  • Speak out to the White House; speak out to all Senators and Representatives who oppose or are on the fence about DACA. 
  • Contact the White House: for how to post a written message or call to leave a voice message:  https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/write-or-call
  • Contact the Capitol switchboard phone (202)224-3121. Ask to  be transferred to each specific official you choose; you’ll either reach a staffer or voicemail.  (have to make a separate call for each)
 
Tell them…
— you support DACA and ask that official to support DACA, too. 
Tell them immigration is part of our nation’s heritage and a moral responsibility.  
— DACA is one of the best ways to assure that immigrant youth become hardworking, upstanding, and proud economic contributors to our country – they are not problem cases; they are not criminals. (In fact, the percentage of undocumented immigrants with criminal records is noticeably lower than that of the general population).
— DACA youth are not taking jobs from citizens; many create their own jobs or do work that most Americans don’t want to do – they become strong supporters of our country’s economic growth and stability.
— to STAND and SPEAK OUT IN SOLIDARITY WITH DACA YOUT
Tell them American needs immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

Background
DACA (Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals) is the Obama-initiated policy that protects undocumented youth from deportation if they arrived in the US as minors before June 2007 and they are unrolled in school. These youth can go to school, get a work permit, and get a driver license. This affects about 800,000 youth nationally who are excellent examples of our American immigrant traditions in becoming the best they can be to positively contribute to the economic and social fabric of our country. If Trump cancels this program, he immediately throws 800,000 worthy youth into the detention and deportation system – which already is clogged and unjust – and upends their peace of mind to be replaced by facing renewed fear, hate and fallacies concerning them. DACA youth have no criminal offenses, they were brought to the US as youngsters by family fleeing violence or poverty in their countries of origin, most know only the US as home or no longer have ties to countries or origin, and they would return to the life-threatening conditions from which their families fled. They will lose the anchors of education and jobs that are their life-line for continuing to be outstanding US residents.
DMV Sanctuary Congregation Network is the interfaith coalition of 80+ congregations in our metro area which was created this Spring to advocate for and support undocumented immigrants and immigration reform. DMV Sanctuary is preparing a statement for immediate release after Trump’s impending announcement on the fate of DACA.
TPS (Temporary Protected Status) refugees program also is at stake as Trump is considering ending current programs. If so, 321,230 refugees can be deported before conditions in their countries stabilize enough to receive them safely; these include refugees whose countries face armed conflict and natural disasters which have overwhelmed their governments and communities.
Thank you,
WES Sanctuary DMV team