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White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly said Tuesday that President Trump is not expected to extend a March 5 deadline for when legal protection and work permits begin to expire for young immigrants known as “dreamers” — raising the stakes for lawmaker struggling to reach a solution. “I doubt very much” Trump would extend the program, Kelly told reporters during an impromptu interview at the U.S. Capitol. He told reporters that he was “not so sure this president has the authority to extend it” because the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that protects roughly 690,000 undocumented immigrants was not based on law. Kelly’s comments come as lawmakers are trying to come up with a plan to grant permanent legal protections to dreamers and resolve other aspects of the immigration system. Kelly also said he would recommend against Trump accepting a short-term extension of the program legislative patch. “What makes them act is pressure,” Kelly said of Congress. Trump announced the end of DACA in September, giving lawmakers until March 5 to come up with a permanent solution. But a federal court last month ordered the Department of Homeland Security to continue accepting applications for DACA, prompting some lawmakers to say that they would have more time to resolve the issue. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is appealing the court ruling, and unless higher courts rule on the legality of the program, DHS will be required to continue renewing DACA visas. Last month, Trump unveiled a four-part plan to deal with urgent immigration issues and used his State of the Union address to endorse a plan that would legalize the status of 1.8 million dreamers — more than the actual number of young immigrants currently protected by DACA. Kelly called Trump’s endorsement of legalizing a larger pool of immigrants “stunning and no one expected it.” “There are 690,000 official DACA registrants and the president sent over what amounts to be two and a half times that number, to 1.8 million,” he said. The difference between [690,000] and 1.8 million were the people that some would say were too afraid to sign up, others would say were too lazy to get off their asses, but they didn’t sign up.” Kelly said he couldn’t believe that lawmakers would vote against Trump’s immigration plan given how “generous” it is. “If before the champions of DACA were members on one side of the aisle, I would say right now the champion of all people who are DACA is Donald Trump — but you would never write that.” About 800,000 have applied for and received DACA protections since the program began in 2012. The nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute has estimated that at least 1.3 million people are immediately eligible for the program. Immigration reform advocates have said in the past that many people brought to the country illegally as children did not apply for DACA because they did not meet the age or educational requirements, couldn’t afford the application fees ranging from $400 to $500 or fear handing over personal information to the federal government. With talks continuing across the Capitol, the White House rejected a new plan Monday from Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.) that would grant permanent legal status to dreamers and bolster security along the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump tweeted Monday that the proposal is a “total waste of time” because it doesn’t immediately authorize spending the billions to build new barriers along the border. The new legislation, which was also introduced in the House last month, orders DHS to craft a comprehensive U.S.-Mexico border strategy but stops short of authorizing the billions of dollars that Trump and conservative Republicans want for border security construction projects. The bill also does not address changes sought by Trump to curtail family-based legal migration — derided by conservatives as “chain migration” — and end a visa lottery system used by immigrants from countries that don’t benefit from other visa programs. On Tuesday, Trump amplified Kelly’s comments, tweeting that “nearly 7 in 10 Americans support an immigration reform package that includes DACA, fully secures the border, ends chain migration & cancels the visa lottery. If D’s oppose this deal, they aren’t serious about DACA-they just want open borders.” In a separate tweet, Trump said that “We need a 21st century MERIT-BASED immigration system” and added that current family-based legal immigration programs and the diversity visa lottery “are outdated programs that hurt our economic and national security.” At the Capitol, Kelly reiterated the administration’s position that dreamers “are not a priority for deportation” presuming they avoid breaking the law. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has said previously that her department would not target dreamers for deportation. But Nielsen said in an interview last month with CBS News that DHS will “enforce the law.” With lawmakers deadlocked on how to proceed, the top negotiators for each party spoke out on the Senate floor Tuesday and accused the other side of inaction. Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), the lead Democratic negotiator on immigration, said that his party is “willing to support a broadly unpopular and partisan proposal — the wall — in exchange for a broadly popular and bipartisan proposal” that would legalize the status of dreamers. “But the president will not take yes for an answer.” Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/white-house-chief-of-staff-trump-not-expected-to-extend-daca-deadline/2018/02/06/7e459e4a-0b54-11e8-95a5-c396801049ef_story.html?utm_term=.ba4ddb2475e0

Article: https://denham.house.gov/news/docume...ocumentID=2230 Bill: https://denham.house.gov/uploadedfil...xt_1.16.18.pdf

Phoenix immigration activists on Sunday continued to press U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake for a "clean" Dream Act, flooding his office with calls to legalize the status of young immigrants known as "dreamers" without agreeing to a border wall. The five-hour phone drive, held as part of Promise Arizona's "Souls to the Phones" campaign, aimed to make at least 1,000 calls to the Arizona Republican's office. The effort was set to begin at noon, but the first volunteer showed up at 10 a.m., according to civic-engagement organizer Lupe Conchas. “We’ve had a good 20 people come through and each one of those 20 people, their goal was to do 20 or more calls,” Conchas said about 4 p.m. Sunday. The organization will host a similar effort Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at its headquarters, 701 S. First Street. The Promise Arizona campaign is part of a larger push for Congress to adopt legislation that would create a pathway to citizenship for immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. Flake is a leader of the bipartisan group urging a compromise to save the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, which Trump plans to end March 5. "We’re focusing on Sen. Flake because he has been one of the lead negotiators…and we want to be sure he’s hearing the voices of his entire constituency regarding what they want to see as part of a ‘clean Dream Act,” volunteer organizer Laura Perez said in a statement. A spokesman for Flake did not immediately respond to an email from The Arizona Republic seeking comment. But the senator said Sunday on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos " that Democrats and Republicans were "trying to come forward with a compromise," Some Republicans say they will support the Dream Act if the legislation includes a provision to fund a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, while Democrats have argued for the exclusion of border-security measures. "I think we have (found a compromise), and you’ll see that this week," Flake said. The Dream Act debate has intensified since the Trump administration announced in September that it would phase out DACA, the Obama-era program that protected up to 800,000 young migrants from deportation. A federal judge in California recently ordered immigration officials to accept DACA renewal applications until a lawsuit against the Trump administration is settled. The Department of Justice could appeal the judge's order, however. More than 25,000 people in Arizona have received DACA status, which allows them to get a two-year work permit and a Social Security number. A delegation of Arizona dreamers is expected to travel to Washington, D.C., this week to lobby lawmakers. Source: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-breaking/2018/01/14/daca-recipients-activists-continue-push-flake-clean-dream-act/1032820001/

The march began at Hope College and ended with a rally at city hall on Tuesday. Roberto Jara marched for the dozens of of kids he has worked with, who have been recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act. Jara, executive director of Latin Americans United for Progress in Holland, was joined by about 200 Hope College students and community members from Holland as they marched to city hall and rallied to advocate for the implementation of a clean DREAM Act and immigration reform in the U.S. The DREAM Act stands for the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act and is legislation that would protect undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. The march started at Grove Point in the middle of Hope College’s campus at about 11 a.m. Afterwards, marchers rallied inside Holland City Hall and listened to a number of speakers, including Jara and Mayor Nancy DeBoer. “We need to call for our legislators to be leaders and make America great once again,” Jara said at the rally. “What really makes it great is that we have open arms and that we are welcoming and that we welcome people from all over the world. That’s what makes America great.” Attorney General Jeff Sessions made an announcement on Sept. 5, declaring the Obama Administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, “an unconstitutional exercise of authority” that must be revoked. Congress has until March 5 to come up with a legislative workaround to replace DACA partially or entirely. Marchers chanted, “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here,” and “Hey, hey, ho, ho DACA students are here to stay,” as they made their way through downtown Holland. Members of the women’s protest choir Persisterhood joined the march and chimed in their own singing at points. Jocelyn Gallegos, a sophomore at Hope College and president of the Latino Student Organization, helped organize the rally and said it’s important to inform people of what the DREAM Act would do. “The DREAM Act is a segue to citizenship for all these people, who have so much potential and have so much to offer the country as a whole,” Gallegos said. Alejandra Gomez Limon, a senior at Hope College who helped organize the march and spoke at the rally, said it’s important to give people a platform to advocate as well as educate others. “I hope this is going to be a kickstart for what’s to come and it allows us to see how to go forward,” Gomez Limon said. “We have the six month deadline with DACA and this is really to get the movement started.” Amari Brown, a freshman at Hope College, attended the march and rally with Hope College sophomore Brandon Fuller. Both said they attended the events to show suppport for DACA recipients. “I hope it brings attention to the issue,” Brown said. “The worst thing that could happen at this point is for people to forget or stop thinking it’s important. We need to keep making noise then legislators will hear that and make the necessary changes.” DeBoer said the publicity from the event and the large turnout will make people pay attention to the cause. Other speakers at the rally included Cady Short-Thompson, provost at Hope College, and Rev. Gordon Wiersman, a co-pastor at Hope Church. Short-Thompson said we are all immigrants and shared stories of how the DACA rescindment has impacted the lives of recipients from an article published by the Los Angeles Times. Wiersman said the community will have to come together with dignity and respect to welcome everyone. “Part of what I want to say, as a person of faith, is that things like justice, hospitality and human dignity belong at the center of our political dialogue rather than fear and division,” Wiersman said. Jara became emotional while speaking at the rally and said this is not the America he grew up in. “I had my share of discrimination, but I knew America’s ideals and I knew this is my home,” Jara said. “Since last November, when I talk to kids I see the hopelessness in their eyes because they feel they are living in a country that hates them and hates their family.” — Follow this reporter on Twitter @SentinelJake. Source: http://www.hollandsentinel.com/news/20171101/hundreds-join-daca-march-in-downtown-holland

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/visuals/95008979-132.html Artists with a traveling art installation began pasting photos of San Diegans’ faces on a Liberty Station building on Monday to show support for dreamers and push Congress to pass a bill to protect them by the end of the year. The Inside Out/Dreamers project hopes the community-created public art will catch the attention of Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, and convince him to support the DREAM Act, which would give green cards to unauthorized immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. Photo booth trucks from the project are traveling to more than 30 strategically-selected cities around the U.S. to target members of Congress the group hopes to sway in favor of the DREAM Act. “It’s a platform for everyone who believes that we need to sort out the situation for dreamers by December,” said Jaime Scatena, the truck’s lead artist. Activist groups across the U.S. who support dreamers have pressured Congress to pass a bill to protect them since the Trump administration ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, in September. After participants sat in the photo booth area to have their pictures taken, the truck printed larger-than-life copies of the photos through a slit in its side. A small crew worked with Scatena to paste the prints in a row that they hoped would eventually wrap all the way around the building. The paste is water-based and non-toxic, Scatena said. After about two hours, they had more than 13 black-and-white photos on the wall and a stack ready to go up. A small line of people waited to be photographed in front of the truck’s polka dot background. Cat Darby, a visual artist and writer who works nearby, was excited to participate after she heard what cause the project was supporting. “This is wonderful, and I think more people should be aware of the situation,” Darby said. “Visuals are a way to get the message to the public.” The Inside Out Project was started in 2011 by French street artist JR. It allows groups to start public art campaigns for different causes. Artists affiliated with the project have printed several hundred thousand photographs around the world. The Inside Out/Dreamers initiative is a collaboration between The Inside Out Project and the Emerson Collective, a social justice organization founded by Laurene Powell Jobs. The project asked local activists to talk about why they want Congress to pass the DREAM Act as the artists worked. Itzel Guillen, a DACA recipient, emphasized that people who support dreamers should be pushing for a “clean DREAM Act,” which would mean no additional enforcement measures added in as compromises to the protections given to the immigrants affected by the end of DACA. “Anything that came with strings attached would hurt our communities,” Guillen said. “San Diego County would be one of the communities that would be hurt by any legislation that would include more money for agents and more money for walls. This would put our families at risk.” Guillen, who works as an organizer at Alliance San Diego, said she appreciated the art community’s support on the issue. “They made a really bold statement supporting the DREAM Act,” Guillen said. “That was something I hadn’t seen before, using an art project to uphold the voices of DACA recipients and give them a space to speak their truth.” The photo booth truck will be taking photos at the Arts District Liberty Station again on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Source: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/sd-me-dreamers-art-20171030-story.html

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that she won't back a bill that allows the federal government to spend money unless Congress has a legislative fix to address the legal status of hundreds of thousands of people brought to the country illegally as children. "I will not vote for an end-of-year spending bill until we are clear about what we are going to do to protect and take care of our DACA young people in this country," Harris said. "Each day in the life of these young people is a very long time, and we've got to stop playing politics with their lives." President Trump announced in September that he was giving Congress until March before the program would shutter and recipients would begin losing work permits and protection from deportation. An estimated 200,000 of the nearly 800,000 recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program live in California, giving the Golden State an outsized stake in resolving their legal status. Harris spoke at a Capitol Hill news conference Wednesday with other members of the California delegation to urge quick action on the issue. "It is absolutely urgent that we pass the legislation," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said. "We are determined that the Dream Act will be the law of the land before the year is out." Democrats and Republicans are negotiating the details of a fix, and when something could pass. Pelosi has hinted that if Republicans don't have the votes within their party to pass the end-of-year spending bill, which Congress has to pass to keep the government open, Democrats will offer their votes — for a price. The Huffington Post reported that House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) told conservative Republicans behind closed doors this week that a DACA fix could be added to the spending bill, something sure to infuriate some in his party. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said a "bipartisan consensus" is coming together on a DACA solution that will include border security, though he didn’t provide additional details besides no border wall. Durbin said he is aiming to get a DACA fix passed before Congress considers the spending bill, which is expected to be one of the last major things lawmakers do this year, but that many Democrats in the House and Senate share Harris’ sentiment. “There are few opportunities and many things to do before the end of the session, before Christmas. We are seizing any available opportunity to move the Dream Act,” Durbin said. “Many of us feel we couldn’t in good conscience go home for Christmas without seeing this law passed.” Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said that with Trump's urging, Congress should find a fix and there is "no reason not to go ahead." "I view this bill as the most important thing we can get done now — both political parties," Feinstein said. "The president is for it, hopefully he doesn't want an arm and a leg for it, but he understands how important this is and we can get it done." Source: http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-harris-dream-act-20171025-story.html

The past couple of months have been tough for undocumented immigrants in Houston. In late August, Hurricane Harvey struck the Texas city, killing dozens of people and displacing hundreds of thousands. Days later, the Trump administration ended the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals or DACA program, putting nearly 700,000 young undocumented immigrants at risk of losing their jobs and being deported when their protections expire. For 29-year-old DACA recipient Oscar Hernandez, a lead organizer with the Houston chapter of immigrant rights group United We Dream, it was time to help out. “Here in Houston, we had a lot of folks who lost everything during the hurricane,” Hernandez told HuffPost earlier this month. “What does it mean to have to replace everything in your house, while also trying to get the $450 needed to file the [DACA renewal] application? So it’s been extremely challenging for undocumented youth across the country, but especially here in Houston.” Read More: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/united-we-dream-houston-immigrants-daca-harvey_us_59e697b5e4b00905bdad5a7f

UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May spoke at a Capitol Hill news conference today (Oct. 25) in support of the Dream Act — legislation that would counteract President Donald Trump’s decision to end DACA, or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. DACA affords illegal immigrants known as “Dreamers,” who came to the United States as children, the right to stay in the country. But Trump says, no more: DACA ends March 5. “The idea that DACA students could be deported as early as March 6 is chilling to me,” said May, who appeared at the news conference as a representative of the UC system. The news conference, organized by congressional Democrats and carried live on the Senate Democrats YouTube channel, included remarks by Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris of California, Dick Durbin of Illinois and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York; and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, among other representatives. UC Regent Richard Blum also spoke, along with other leaders in higher education, including Chancellor Kristina Johnson of the State University of New York. Two “Dreamers” also gave remarks: Nejvi Bejko, who came with her parents to the United States from Albania at the age of 9 and today is an aspiring designer, a graduate of Michigan State University; and Leezia Dhalla, who was 6 when she moved to Texas with her parents and subsequently graduated from Northwestern University UC Davis ‘Dreamers’ Chancellor May spoke about the “Dreamers” who attend UC Davis, saying “they represent some of our most dedicated and inspirational students.” And those who have graduated, he said, “have blossomed with careers in medicine, law, social work and much more.” Read UC Davis student Karla Ornelas' op-ed in The Sacramento Bee: “A ‘Dreamer’ Wants to Give Back to the Central Valley.” “These students contribute to a rich diversity of cultures and perspectives that is integral to the success of our university as a global university,” May said. “They are paving the future for themselves and their families so they can give back to our society.” The chancellor continued: “We must give the best and brightest a chance to shine, no matter where they happened to be born, or how they were brought here as children. … They deserve to pursue a college education without fear of deportation.” Pelosi: Dream Act will be law by year’s end Trump announced Sept. 5 his decision to rescind DACA and tweeted a few hours later that “Congress now has six months to legalize” the program. A bipartisan slate of legislators already had moved to do just that, through the Dream Act of 2017, introduced in the Senate in July but not yet voted on. “We are determined that this Dream Act will be the law of the land before the end of the year,” Pelosi said at today’s news conference. “We reach out to our Republican colleagues with great anticipation that what they say about supporting the Dreamers will be reflected in their vote on the bill.” She thanked President Trump “for his commitment to support the Dream Act” and added: “He’s told us if it comes to his desk he will sign it.” Source: https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/chancellor-may-democrats-back-dream-act/

I was just wondering if anyone here knew, or themselves, took advantage of parole in place? How legitimate is this offer and did your parents receive the promised help? Any more information on this topic would be appreciated, especially first hand experiences

I Currently have permission to work, but my work permit expires on March 2015. i've sent my DACA application this week, but i am paranoid due to two non significant misdemeanors that i currently have on my record. I read that three non significant misdemeanors disqualify you from applying, but in my case i got my first misdemeanor two years ago when i got my work permit, and recently i got my second one. They are both for P.O.D.P, does that disqualify me ? Having two non significant misdemeanors from the same act in two different years? Please if you had a similar case as mine on the past let me know what you think, if you got approved on the past with two matching non significant misdemeanors let me know ... Thank You Guys.

ALBANY, N.Y. — The New York Senate is set to vote on a controversial bill that would allow students in the country illegally to get state financial aid. The Assembly passed the Dream Act last month and included it in its budget resolutions. The Senate was poised to vote on it Monday. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan have come out in support of the bill. It had new life breathed into it when members of the Democratic breakaway group that controls the Senate with the Republicans signed on as sponsors. The proposal includes a budget appropriation of $25 million to open up Tuition Assistance Program money for students at both public and private colleges, paying up to $5,000 a year for undergraduates at four-year institutions. http://online.wsj.com/article/APabb13498f0a64c26a8f19436dac044c2.html

Hello Everyone, First off I want to wish everybody a Happy New Year, I hope your holidays went well. I am writing this post to express my frustration with the wait I've had to endure this past 13 months. I applied for DACA on Nov. 23, 2012 and till this day I haven't received a decision on my case. I have made several service requests, I've sent several emails, tried getting help from my senator, I responded to and R.F.E and still nothing. I reside in Texas and my application is being processed in Nebraska, wtf?! Are any of you still waiting after a year for a decision on their case? Do you live in Texas or any neighboring states and you have you're application being processed in Nebraska or Delaware? If so, what are you doing in regards to the long processing time besides waiting? Is there anything else we can do but wait and hope to get our case resolved? I don't understand why this is taking so long. I know people who applied in 2013 many months after me and received their papers within about 4-5 months. In this year of waiting I turned down better paying jobs including outside my state. I don't know what to do anymore this situation really sucks.

Hello Everyone, Today marks the day that USCIS received my application 13 months ago. The wait has been very frustrating to say the least, and the service provided by the operators when I call USCIS has been worse. I have many 3 service requests, I have written to my senator and I have even received a R.F.E and returned it to USCIS over 2 months ago and still nothing. I'm from South Texas and my application is being processed at the Nebraska Service Center, where they don't normally doesn't handle applications from Texas. At this point I'm just giving up hope. I had to turned down better paying jobs, got a ticket for driving with no license and I have to keep explainig to everyone almost everyday when they ask me about my papers. I'm sure there are many of you who are also part of the one year club or who waited almost a year to get your case approved. What steps are you following or followed to help get your case approved? Application Received: Nov. 23, 2012 Date of Biometrics: Dec. 21, 2012 R.F.E. Sent: Sep. 5, 2013 R.F.E. Returned: Oct. 11, 2013 Last Service Request: Dec. 12, 2013 STILL NOTHING

So, FIU is the only school in the entire state to allow students with deferred action to pay in state tuition.

Hello, On Sept. 5 I received a RFE from USCIS which I responded to on Oct. 9 and which they received on Oct. 11. It has been almost a month since I got an email from USCIS telling me that they had received all the additional information they had requested. What now? I know they told me that it will take a minimum of 60 days for me to get a decision on my case but I am not so sure since a lot of people have to wait longer than that after they submitted their RFE's. Can anybody tell me if they had to send and RFE and how long did you have to wait to get a decision on your case? I have been waiting for almost a year now since I submitted my application (Nov. 23, 2013) my patience is wearing thin and its just very frustrating.

Hello I currently live in Florida and over here Deferred Action Students cannot qualify for in state tuition,(even though I've lived here for four years and attended college through dual enrollment), or finical aid. So i was thinking the best decision would be for me to move to California, live there until i can get in state tuition and finical aid, meantime I'll work. The problem is i have no knowledge about California, can anyone tell me good areas? Cheap areas? Good community colleges? Good colleges? Whats the job market like? Or anything else you can tell me about there. If you can answer any of these questions or tell me anything at all it would be greatly appreciated. Nevertheless, thank you for your time!

I came to US wheni was 3 months old, i have physical prove of me presence (vaccination records and bautism certificate) In 1987 left Back to Mexico. and Reentrer the US undocumented at age of 16 in 2001. I have been in the states from 2001-to present. and i have prove, too. Can I apply for Daca?

Hi guys, I have a question. Who can apply to the California Dream Act? I am currently a senior in High School and I'm sure I will need financial help to go to college. I went to the website ( https://dream.csac.ca.gov/ ) and I clicked on "Start a Dream App" and it asked me for what year I wanted to apply for. I clicked on the "2013-2014" year and it took me to the application. However, I'm not sure if only college students are eligible. The application assumes that I am already a freshman in college. Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

As many probably know, a huge milestone was reached when the Immigration Reform Bill passed the Senate with flying colors (68-32). However, the real test is yet to start: The GOP controlled House of Representatives and their leader, Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio). Boehner is one of the strongest critics of the current bill that was passed in the Senate, and has explicitly said that he won't send any bill to the House floor unless it has significant support from his Republican colleagues in the House (the Hassert Rule). Moreover, he has stated that the Senate Bill 'needs a lot of work,' and he would rather vote on an immigration bill that has been developed in the House. This guy is a tough cookie with a lot of influence in the House, so the more Republicans that jump on board the bill before they reconvene on July 10, the better. On this date (July 10), GOP members of the House will meet to discuss what options are available to them and how to proceed. Below are a couple things to be aware of before the House opens the floor for Immigration Reform: GOP Members of the House are against a pathway citizenship (at least the majority of them) The House wants to offer both a comprehensive bill and single-item bills Some House GOP members have not even read the Senate Bill All things considered, there is significant pressure on Congress to overhaul the immigration system. Given the unpopular finger-pointing that takes place whenever there is either a gridlock in congress, or when a bill fails to pass because of increased disagreement among the voting parties, citizens (I mean everyone, even you) and voters are demanding that elected representatives get the job done. Also, mid-term congressional elections are fast approaching (2014), and the GOP has been under increased scrutiny because of the perceived notion that Republicans are to blame when something is not done in Washington. In addition, not only do they want to either have significant control of the House or Senate, they also want to be strong contenders for the 2016 Presidential Election and increase their popularity among Latino voters. Let us hope for the best and keep supporting those individuals that are constantly in the front lines fighting for the rest of us. Further reading: http://www.policymic.com/articles/51979/immigration-reform-2013-house-gop-now-control-the-game-but-what-they-will-do-is-anybody-s-guess http://www.voanews.com/content/us-immigration-reform-bill-facing-tough-republican-opposition-in-house/1691559.html http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2013/06/28/immigration-bill-test-for-house-republicans/ http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/28/19188789-congress-all-eyes-on-the-gop-controlled-house-now-on-immigration?lite JULY 10!

hello, I have been doing some research about the dream act and have a question. For one to receive a green card after 6 years it says you need two years of college right? Some documents say that you just need a degree or at least two years in college, or two years towards a bachelor or higher degree. So what I am trying to figure out is if one were to do a two year college and get a associates degree would that qualify for that? Some say you just need two years (with or without a degree). But some only say that you need two years towards a bachelor or higher. If you know the answer to my question please let me know. Thank you

hello, I have been doing some research about the dream act and have a question. For one to receive a green card after 6 years it says you need two years of college right? Some documents say that you just need a degree or at least two years in college, or two years towards a bachelor or higher degree. So what I am trying to figure out is if one were to do a two year college and get a associates degree would that qualify for that? Some say you just need two years (with or without a degree). But some only say that you need two years towards a bachelor or higher. If you know the answer to my question please let me know. Thank you

As per News.FIU.edu (Click for story) FIU is the first public university in Florida to offer in-state tuition to students who have qualified for Deferred Action. Before this decision was made this spring, local undocumented students had to pay out-of-state tuition. Thanks to the decision, DACAmented students will only have to pay approximately one-third of the price of out-of-state tuition... Therefore, if you live in FL, and are DACAmented, Get Educated! Click HERE for the article on news.fiu.edu Click HERE for the original article in the Sun Sentinel (increased coverage and more information). Super proud of the Alma Mater... Go Panthers! (Class of 2011)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) has set an end-of-month deadline for Senate passage of immigration reform, giving the chamber three weeks to debate legislation on the floor. “We are going to finish the bill before the July 4 recess,” Reid said Thursday. “We need to finish this bill and we’re going to do it as quick as we can.” Reid added that the issue has already been thoroughly discussed in committee. “There are very few pieces of legislation that we’ve had come to the floor in recent years that has been [as] thoroughly discussed, debated and presented as this,” he said. Reid has met with Republicans and told them they have already had weeks to review the legislation during the Judiciary Committee’s markup last month. “Everybody knows pretty much what this bill is about,” he said. “No one can complain about not having had time to read the bill. They’ve read it, they’ve studied it and there’s no reason we can’t finish this debate quickly.” The July recess will begin after the last week of June. Senate Democrats met Thursday afternoon to discuss their strategy for handling amendments to the legislation, President Obama’s top domestic initiative. The Senate will vote to end debate on the motion to proceed to the immigration bill at 2:15 pm Tuesday and then vote to proceed at 4 p.m. Members of the Senate Gang of Eight, which drafted the bill, have set a goal of passing it with 70 votes, but Reid is more focused on clearing the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster. Reid downplayed speculation that Democrats must accept an amendment by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) strengthening border security in order to push the bill to final passage. Rubio is a member of the Gang of Eight. “We are interested in getting as many votes as we can and getting as many votes as we can does not depend on any one amendment,” he said. “I am totally convinced that there is tremendous momentum to get this legislation passed no matter what people are saying on the record, off the record.” Sen. Charles Schumer (N.Y.), the lead Democratic sponsor of the bill, said “the momentum is getting stronger every day,” citing the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, agribusinesses, evangelicals and the high-tech community. He said those groups are contacting undecided senators to urge them to support the bill. Schumer said Democrats are willing to strengthen the border-security provisions but do not want to give anti-immigration opponents a chance to block the path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million immigrants in the country illegally. Source: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/303961-reid-wants-senate-to-finish-immigration-before-july-recess

WASHINGTON – The Republican-controlled House voted Thursday to resume the deportation of hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought illegally to the United States as children, the first immigration-related vote in either chamber of Congress this year and a measure of the daunting challenge facing supporters of a sweeping overhaul of existing law on the subject. The party-line vote of 224-201 was aimed at blocking implementation of President Barack Obama's 2012 election-year order to stop deportations of many so-called DREAM Act individuals. Democrats on the House floor reacted with boos when the provision was added to a routine spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security. The vote was largely symbolic, since the administration has threatened to veto the overall legislation on budgetary grounds. It nevertheless stood as a stark warning from conservatives who dominate the ranks of the Republican House majority about attempts in the Senate to grant a chance at citizenship to an estimated 11 million immigrants residing in the country illegally. And the White House reacted sharply, saying the House-passed measure would affect "Dreamers" who are "productive members of society who were brought here as young children, grew up in our communities, and became American in every way but on paper." Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, said in a statement that the vote prohibits the administration "from implementing executive amnesty" without congressional action. "Bipartisan support for my amendment is the first test of the 113th Congress in the House of Representatives on immigration. My amendment blocks many of the provisions that are mirrored in the Senate's `Gang of Eight' bill. If this position holds, no amnesty will reach the President's desk," he said. The vote took place as Senate leaders set Friday for the opening of debate on White House-backed legislation that would create a chance at citizenship for those in the country unlawfully, at the same time it takes steps to assure the borders are secure against future illegal immigration. The measure was drafted by a bipartisan group of eight senators, then approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee last month on a vote of 13-8. It also creates a new low-skilled guest-worker program, expands the number of visas available for high-tech industry workers and reorders the system for legal immigration that has been in place for decades. Debate is expected to consume weeks on the Senate floor as lawmakers of differing views try to change it more to their liking. Notably, Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican who was part of the group that drafted the legislation, is saying he wants changes before he will support it on final passage. His office did not respond to a request for reaction to the House vote. In the House, 221 Republicans and three Democrats voted for King's proposal, while 195 Democrats and six Republicans opposed it. "I can't believe they just did that," said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., a leading supporter of the DREAM Act. Ana Avendano of the AFL-CIO, said in a statement that King and his allies are playing to "a dwindling base of anti-immigrant Republican primary voters. We hope and expect that the leadership of the Republican party will understand that this is not only abhorrent policy but suicidal politics." Speaking to a group of reporters, a White House official, Cecilia Munoz, said, "If part of what is driving this debate is a recognition, particularly on the Republican side, that they need to do better with the Latino community, this is really not the right way." Obama announced a new policy in June 2012 that puts off deportation for two years for many of those brought to the United States as children, specifically if they were under 16 at the time and are no older than 31 now. They also must be in school, graduated from high school or have served in the military and have no criminal record. The order offers relief from deportation from many young immigrants who would be covered by the so-called DREAM Act, which has repeatedly failed in Congress. Democrats argued vociferously against King's proposal when it was debated Wednesday evening. "We should not hold children responsible for the actions of adults and their parents. We should give them an opportunity," said Rep. Luis Gutierrez, an Illinois Democrat who has been involved in a sputtering attempt to produce a compromise immigration bill in the House. Those efforts were dealt a potentially fatal blow on Wednesday, when Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, announced he was leaving the group because of a dispute over health care. House GOP leaders have not yet announced a plan for considering immigration legislation, although it appears likely that several smaller bills will be considered rather than a comprehensive measure that covers the elements that are combined into one in the Senate. One of them, introduced during the day by Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., permits state and local authorities to enforce federal immigration laws. There is little, if any, support among the GOP rank and file for a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million or so immigrants estimated to be living in the United States illegally, although there appears to be some sentiment to allow many such individuals to remain in the country. Speaker John Boehner has said privately he hopes to have committee action complete by the end of June, with a vote in the House by the end of July. Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/06/06/house-votes-to-resume-deporting-young-dream-act-immigrants/#ixzz2VTjNjslu