DACA resources – Updated 9/11

(Updated 9/14)

Free Help with DACA paperwork – Pass this on!

Ventura attorney Vanessa Frank, a specialist in immigration law and CLUE’s immediate past chair, is offering free assistance with the application process through September 29th for any eligible DACA holder who contacts her office at 143 Figueroa St, Ventura, (805) 641-9300.

Any work permit expiring between now and March 5th needs to be renewed no later than October 5th to maintain the applicant’s limited status of protection from deportation. Some application funds are already available through a generous anonymous donor; those funds will support 20 applicants.  With an estimated 7,000 DACA-eligible immigrants in Ventura County, the demand for renewal will surely outstrip currently available funds.

Update on the “free” filing fees. We need more donors!

A fee of $495 must accompany each application for DACA renewal.  CLUE-Ventura County is collecting donations to help defray the cost of renewal applications.  Funds must be received by September 21st and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please donate by September 21st via PayPal or credit card at www.cluevc.org, or mail a check payable to CLUE-VC to PO Box 3066, Ventura, CA 93006.  100% of donations received now through September 21st will be used for DACA renewals.

In solidarity with our caring supporters and our struggling young people,
Rev. Betty Stapleford and Nan Waltman
Co-Chairs
Ventura County Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice
www.cluevc.org

DACA Clinic – You can assist a young immigrant with their DACA renewal!

Vanessa Frank is putting on a DACA clinic on September 16th Spread the word, pin up the poster where people can see it and volunteer to help that day! You do not need to be bilingual to help out. (805) 650-7592.

Other options:
Mexican Consulates are providing funds and support for renewals at all the 50 consulates in the US. The nearest consulate is in Oxnard.
3151 W. Fifth St #E-100 – Oxnard, CA 93030 Tel: (805) 984-8738 * Fax: (805) 984-8747 E-mail: consul@consulmexoxnard.com

For other states, go here.

Check out this Resistance calendar for other events nearby.

Sept. 23rd. –  Carecen DACA Renewal & Citizenship Workshop. 2845 W 7th St, Los Angeles, California 90005

How can you participate?

Call. Repeat. 
Making calls to your legislators is one of the most effective form of protest you can do:
For SB 54 calls: Click here.
For DACA calls to House and Senate: Click here and here.
or here. http://thesixtyfive.org/weeklyCTA
Calls for Swing votes: Get your family involved. They have phones, right?
Call key members of Congress and demand that they publicly defend DACA. Use this document.
On Tuesday morning, [or now] call these 9 AGs en masse. Use the telephone numbers attached here

Tweet! Repeat.
Tweet for Swing votes: Get your family involved.
Tweet at the 9 AGs who are threatening to sue the federal government to end DACA. Use this tool to tweet at them.
Tweet key members of Congress and demand that they publicly defend DACA. Use this document.

Email:
Tell Trump how you feel. He is a narcissist and probably won’t care, but someone will be giving him the tallies. Then call to follow up at 202-456-1111.

Write a letter to the Editor!
This is a perfect time to write a letter to the editor of your local paper to get the attention of your members of congress. You can use your letter to encourage your congressional delegate to support the bipartisan DREAM Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for Dreamers. Tips here.

Follow:
https://www.facebook.com/NationalJusticeForOurNeighbors/

Protest:
Find a rally close by.
Check out this Resistance calendar for other events nearby

Keep up with information.
Compendium of DACA info here.
For the most up-to-date info on defending DACA, follow our friends United We Dream and sign up for alerts on defenddaca.com

Need a DACA primer about the lies in what the White House said on Tuesday about their decision before you reach out to your MoC? Associated Press did a fact check

Four Lies Jeff Sessions Told to Justify Ending DACA (Vox)

New Poll: 76% of Americans, Including 69% of Republicans, Back Legal Status for Dreamers (America’s Voice)

Indivisibleguide.com has a nifty map showing how many DACA citizens are in each state as well as some good background information.

Donate:
Movimiento Cosecha, United We Dream
Help Fund DACA application fees for Recipients in need
Help Fund the fight to protect DACA recipients.
Help pay Protesters legal fees.

Teachers:
The American Federation of Teachers has put out a booklet, Protecting Our Students:    For those of us who work in school settings with DREAMers and other undocumented children or know others who do, let’s share and use this guide.

Allies:
Share a story of how a DACA recipient has positively contributed to this country. Use the hashtag #DefendDACA.

Lawyers:
The most pressing need between now and October 5, 2017 is to help individuals with current DACA status expiring between now and March 5, 2018. Click here to volunteer. You don’t don’t have to be an immigration lawyer. They will train you.

Overall site link: click here.

Online Training Sessions: There is still time to register for a DACA clinic volunteer training session with Lawyers For Good Government. Sessions for volunteer lawyers are being held at 8pm Eastern / 5pm Pacific on Monday (9/11) and Tuesday (9/12). The trainings, which will focus on the completion of DACA renewal applications for current DACA status holders, will be led by an immigration lawyer from AILA (the American Immigration Lawyers Association). The link is below:
www.lawyersforgoodgovernment.org/daca-webinar-registration
They are also recruiting and training state and city-level Immigration Volunteer Coordinators to help connect volunteer lawyers with DACA clinics and working with AILA and other organizations to maximize opportunities for volunteers to assist at DACA clinics wherever and whenever help is needed.
Immigration is a federal practice and therefore you can volunteer in any state regardless if you are licensed to practice in that state IF you are licensed in any state