Action Alert – Loretto Stands with the Dreamers

On Nov. 12 the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument on the legality of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.  A large contingent from the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), Justice for Immigrants, many denominations and other advocates for immigration justice rallied and prayed at the Court.

Now it’s time for us to commit and persist:  The U.S. Senate could resolve this problem and provide permanent protection for the 800,000 young migrants protected by DACA by passing S. 874, the Dream Act of 2019.

Join Loretto, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, and those from all denominations who support the Dreamers. Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard, 202-224-3121. Ask to speak to each of your Senators. Urge them to co-sponsor and support S.874, the Dream Act of 2019 and continue to work towards larger legislative reform of our immigration laws.

Please take action today and make a personal commitment to repeat this action every single week between now and June 2020, when the Supreme Court decision likely will be announced.  If 81 year-old Jane Fonda can get arrested at the U.S. Capitol every week in asking Congress to protect the Earth, we can surely commit to a weekly call, email or letter to support the Dreamers.  Call your U.S. Senators, or if you don’t do calls, send emails or fax letters.  Here’s a suggested message from LCWR. Please adapt as appropriate:

As a person of faith and a Catholic sister, I want to express my strong support for the “Dream Act of 2019” (S. 874). The young people protected by this bill are our neighbors and friends. They are mothers and fathers of U.S. citizens. They are important members of our community and leaders in our parishes. As Catholics, we have long supported DREAMERS as we believe in protecting the dignity of every human being, especially that of our children. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a program that has benefited over 800,000 young people by ensuring that recipients are able to live their lives free of the anxiety that they could be deported at any time to a country they do not know and separated from their families.

I urge the Senator to:

·    Support and co-sponsor S. 874, the Dream Act of 2019; and
·    Continue to work towards larger legislative reform of our immigration laws.

Be assured of my prayers and please know that Catholics stand with you in support of the DREAM Act of 2019, S. 874.

In addition to renewing our weekly advocacy for the Dreamers, please check out the Justice for Immigrants’ new resources on “What to Do Now” regarding DACA (in English and in Español) and Prayers for the Faithful for DACA Recipients (in English and in Español).

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments about the legality of the DACA program.  DACA protects from deportation approximately 800,000 young undocumented migrants who were brought to the U.S. prior to 2007, before their 16th birthday, are in school or high school graduates, serve in or have been honorably discharged from the U.S. military, and have no record of criminal or misdemeanor offenses.  While the Supreme Court deliberates before announcing its decision sometime next spring, Congress could provide permanent protection to the Dreamers and the other 2.8 million undocumented young migrants brought to the U.S. as children, and provide them with a path to U.S. citizenship. The U.S. House has already done so.