Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
Own the Dream
Pro Bono Net and the Immigration Advocates Network (IAN) are proud to announce the launch of Own the Dream (www.weownthedream.org) or Únete al Sueño (www.unetealsueno.org) in Spanish, a new website offering online tools to help Americans brought to this country as children apply for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Own the Dream was developed in collaboration with United We Dream, the largest national network of youth-led immigrants rights organizations, and many leading national immigration legal services organizations*.
The Deferred Action program, announced in June by the Obama administration, gives a two-year, renewable reprieve from deportation to undocumented immigrants who came to the United States before age 16, are in school, high school graduates or military veterans, and meet certain other criteria. The Own the Dream site will offer assistance to the hundreds of thousands of young immigrants eligible for this opportunity to stay in America to further their education and contribute to the economy. It offers an online self-screening tool that allows applicants to determine their eligibility for the program and a searchable directory of listings for free or low-cost nonprofit immigration legal services providers in all 50 states, among other features.
Latest Developments in Immigration Relief for Children and Youth
As part of its first annual e-conference, "Cutting Edge Issues in Immigration Law," IAN will be hosting an interactive online training entitled "Latest Developments in Immigration Relief for Children and Youth" on October 29, 2012. The session will discuss up-to-date "best practices" on Deferred Action, including recommendations for filing a request. Register now!
Deferred Action Resources for Pro Bono Attorneys
Many private attorneys and law students are eager to volunteer with nonprofit immigration legal services organizations that are providing assistance to DREAMers. Over the coming weeks, we will be using this DACA page on the www.probono.net national site to keep you apprised of relevant pro bono training opportunities, webinars, podcasts and other resources for volunteers developed by our partners.
In Pro Bono Net's NYC Pro Bono Center (http://www.probono.net/ny/nyc), some of New York City's premier legal services/pro bono programs have posted training videos and materials that provide volunteers with detailed information on the DACA program to assist DREAMers.
We also encourage interested attorneys to join the IAN Pro Bono Resource Center (www.immigrationadvocates.org/probono) to keep apprised of developments in this and other areas of pro bono immigration law practice. Among the DACA resources already available in the IAN Pro Bono Resource Center you'll find:
- Library of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals resources
- Calendar of upcoming training opportunities on Deferred Action
- Breaking News on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program
IAN is currently planning a series of webinars and podcasts on DACA in collaboration with its partners and other national experts. The first webinar Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals in Practice was held on September 12 and co-hosted by The Immigration Advocates Network, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, and Public Counsel. It covered DACA eligibility, screening for criminal history and other immigration relief, putting together a DACA request, and practice tips. The panelists were Angie Junck and Mark Silverman of the Immigrant Legal Resource Center and Kristen Jackson of Public Counsel.
* Own the Dream Website Partners
Own the Dream website partners include American Immigration Lawyers Association, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Educators for Fair Consideration, Immigration Advocates Network, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, National Immigration Law Center, National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, Pro Bono Net, and United We Dream.