So, we all wait, and wait, and wait even longer for the DREAM Act to have its chance.

The DREAM Act is a narrowly tailored, bipartisan measure which would create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented youth who have grown up in the United States, graduated from high school or obtained a GED and gone on to attend college or join the military.

A little over a year ago, the DREAM Act (S. 729 and H.R. 1751) was introduced as a stand-alone bill, and it was championed by mostly youth groups and passage was pushed.  In June 2009, under the umbrella of Reform Enforcement Immigration for America, a conglomerate of organizations (largely DC based) began laying the groundwork for a long, disastrous campaign to push their version of “immigration reform” onto the masses.

From 2007, even before the CIR bill was introduced campaign officially kicked off, immigrant youth were told to hold off on the DREAM Act.  We were told, point blank, that if we advocated for the DREAM Act we would be killing a larger reform package.  That by merely sharing our stories, we would be activating the anti-immigrant sentiment in the country and doing harm to everyone, including our parents.  We were shamed, called selfish, and ridiculed at every turn.  But through it all we managed to pull through with an an amazing movement to boot.  Where we were denied a seat at a table, we created our own table and, as youth, we reclaimed our own movement.  We are no longer dependent on privileged, usually white, out-of-touch organizers to do our bidding or for that matter even speak for us.  What does it tell you about your movement when the speakers don’t even represent the issue at hand?!  We can speak for ourselves.

Two years later with little to no funding and a completely undocumented and volunteer-run network we have accomplished so much, including:

• A bill
• 39 co-sponsors in the senate and 120 in the house
• Dozens of deferred action for individual dream act students
• An online presence which trumps that of any pro or anti immigrant group
• 60,000 people on Facebook and 40,000 on our general list, a list comprised mostly of young people ready to work for the DREAM
• A strong network covering almost 30 states and presence in the rest

And the list continues.

All of this done with minimal money when compared to the $100,000,000 plus millions the Reform Enforcement Immigration for America campaign has received and spent.  And yet, we as the Dreamers are still told to wait, that it isn’t our time yet.  That we need to continue to push for a larger enforcement package, that if we were to push the DREAM Act, or piecemeal legislation, then we kill all the hope for a larger package.  Not to burst any bubbles but pieces of legislation have been passing for a while now.  SB1070 is just the latest piece in that collective.  Obama is sending troops to the border. While we sit around and fight each other, the Republicans are using an effective piecemeal approach: get anything you can and push for the large package only if it’s convenient.

We are at a fork in the road right now. If we continue to go the way we are going we will get neither the DREAM Act or any form of reform.  Our communities will suffer another defeat at the hands of people who are in it just for a pay-check, who are waiting to get invited to the next meeting in D.C., and have little regard for what is happening to our families and our youth.  A (not-so) wise man from within the Reform Immigration for America campaign recently caught me by surprise when he told me, during a semi-private phone call where I was berated for still pushing DREAM,  flat-out, “who says our communities need a win this year?”

Yes, you read it right.  The mantra that these people are working off of is “who says our communities need a win this year?!”

The immigrant youth want a win this year and are willing to do everything that needs to happen to get the win.  We are willing to put ourselves on the front lines as we have all the years past.  We are willing to walk 1500 miles.  We are willing to go on an indefinite hunger strike.  We are willing to conduct sit-ins at congressional and campaign offices and put ourselves into deportation proceedings. We are willing to risk deportation.

So that brings me back to the fork in the road. We have two options right now: either we continue to play this waiting and pandering game to these groups that want nothing to do with us and care nothing about our futures, or we take a risk, we take a stand, and we push for the DREAM Act to pass as a stand alone bill.

Over the last month we have had a number of escalating actions.  These have taken place in the offices of non-supporting senators (Senator McCain -R AZ), supporting senators (Senator Feinstein -D CA) and our so-called allies (Luis Gutierrez -D IL).  Soon we’ll add a few DC based ‘advocacy’ organizations to the list.  If the message is not clear yet, lets try and clear it up.  We, as youth, are not afraid of a challenge.  Everyone should be on notice: if you are not making the DREAM Act happen as a stand-alone bill, then you are a roadblock to DREAM, and we are going to call you out in a very public way.  If you won’t willingly take a stand to fight for our lives, then we’ll bring the moral crisis to your doorstep.

Our parents have waited too long and we have waited too long.  The time for the DREAM Act is now.

We are willing.  We are ready. We won’t wait.  You haven’t heard our thunder yet!

Author: Mohammad Abdollahi is a co-founder of DreamActivist and one of the students in deportation after a sit-down at John McCain’s office last month. Visit thedreamiscoming.com for more information and updates.

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• A Message for Advocates of Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Free the DREAM Act (seminal.firedoglake.com)

Senators Reid, Schumer and Menendez have released a conceptual framework for immigration reform, after Senator Graham threw one of his tantrums and walked away from negotiations.  This cannot come at a more exciting moment, especially with the grassroots momentum coming from the backlash to SB 1070 in Arizona. Here are some key notes and responses from the proposal:

1) “Conceptual Proposal” is the title of the document. That’s cool, I guess. Concepts are good.  Bills are better.

2) Reid, Schumer, Menendez. One of these things is not like the other… False. They’re all Democrats. There’s no Republican involvement here. No Republican, no bill. Period. (Democrat-only bills most definitely do not count as viable possibilities…)

3) “Securing the border before taking any action.” Well, THIS is new.

4) “Increased the number of ICE agents… increase enforcement… increase inspection… increase fraud detection… ”

5) “Further fortification of America’s Border Enforcement Capability” The word fortification makes me think about the medieval ages. Maybe we should dig a moat around the continental United States. And launch cannonballs, and buckets of boiling water. And then we can shoot flaming arrows.

Also, “ground sensors”? Why don’t we just kick it up a notch and put landmines, so that there’s no debate about the fact that we have a militarized border?

6) “increases in the number of sport utility vehicles, helicopters, power boats, river boats…” This is like Oprah does DHS: Everybody gets a car!

7) “They will also be equipped with weapons, including non-lethal intermediate force weapons, that are reliable and effective to protect themselves, their fellow agents, and innocent third parties from the threats posed in the line of duty.” In Arizona, the wrong color skin is a threat, so thanks, but no thanks.

8. “Indian tribes that have been adversely affected by illegal immigration will be reimbursed for law enforcement activities and restoration of areas damaged by illegal immigration.” WOW! We’re reimbursing Native Americans for having massacred their ancestors and driving them, over the course of hundreds of years, off their native lands and into reservations? This is one progressive bill, folks! Hold on- I’m getting a call…ah…I see… so… okay… Never mind.

9) “No detainee shall be transferred from his/her area of apprehension until arrangements have been made for the detainee’s children, and the government has given due consideration to the best interest of the child in decisions concerning detention, release or transfer of a parent.” Props where props are due.

10) “Existing enforcement laws will be reformed to become more efficient and effective.” This act is getting tired. Seriously and for real.

11) “The government will require any state or local entity that participates in the 287(g) program to collect and maintain such records and data as are reasonably necessary.” We’re keeping 287g!?

12) “Ending illegal employment through biometric employment verification” They actually want us to BELIEVE in Biometric Enrollment Locally-stored Information Electronic Verification of Employment. Orwell, are you rolling in your grave yet?

13) “A green card will be immediately available to foreign students with an advanced degree from a United States institution of higher education in a field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics…foreign students will be permitted to enter the United States with immigrant intent if they are a bona fide student so long as they pursue a full course of study at an institution of higher education in a field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics…” Welcome to the United States of Technocracy. We have no use for humanities, social science, or the arts.  No use for the future Isabel Allendes, Dan Akroyds, Mikhail Baryshnikovs, Elaine Chaos, Madeleine Albrights, and Isaac Asimovs.  I mean, let’s be real.  Their contributions to society are negligible.

14) “It will amend current law regarding H-1B employer application requirements…” Let’s cut through the jargon. Limits their availability, harder to get.

15) AgJobs! I’ve got an idea… since it’s all marked up and ready to go, why don’t we just pass it now? Yes? Maybe? No? Wait? Sigh…

16) “This proposal also authorizes the creation of the Commission on Employment-Based Immigration… The Commission shall have the power to declare an emergency in the immigration system.” EXCUSE ME, I HAVE AN EMERGENCY! There are a bajillion (actual statistic) qualified college graduates who are ready and willing to work but they’re not allowed! They…what? “An emergency shall consist of a situation in which America’s employment-based immigration system is either substantially failing to admit a sufficient number of workers for the needs of the American economy or is substantially admitting too many foreign workers, leading to significant job displacement…” Y’all should listen to Bill. Bill is cool.

17) “Mandatory registration, acceptance of responsibility, and administration of punishment for unauthorized aliens presently in the United States.” You know what’s crazy? I think the Union treated the Confederacy with more sympathy after the Civil War was over. And those were the people responsible for actual crimes- like slavery.

18) And now, the final act, what we’ve all been waiting for: “In Phase 1, eligible applicants, including individuals on Temporary Protected Status and other statuses designated by the Secretary, will be registered, fingerprinted, screened, and considered for an interim “Lawful Prospective Immigrant” (LPI) status that allows them to work and to travel outside of the United States.” Considered? Just…considered?

19) “In phase 2, which will take place in eight years after current visa backlogs have cleared…” Eight. Years. Wait. Wait some more.

20) “To be eligible for initial registration for the legalization program and interim status as an LPI, each individual must 1) complete an application supplying basic biographic and biometric information 2) pass terrorism, criminal history, and other security checks 3) Pay all applicable fees, civil penalties, and taxes, and 4) have been continuously present in the United States since the date of enactment.” That’s just for registration. Not through the gate quite yet…

21) “After eight years, individuals who have been granted LPI status will be permitted to apply for adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident (LPR) provided that they can demonstrate that they meet the following criteria: 1) basic citizenship skills 2) English language skills 3) continuous residence in the U.S. 4) updated terrorism, criminal history, and other checks, 5) payment of all federal income taxes, fees, and civil penalties, and 6) registration for the Selective Service.” Don’t forget 7) Twitter skillz. Crucial effective integration into this country.

22) “In addition, the stand-alone registration programs provided by the DREAM Act and AgJobs legislation will also be included within this proposal.” YAY! Since DREAM is all marked up and ready, why don’t we just pass it now! Cool? Yes? Wait? Sigh…

Read it for yourself.

Author: Flavia de la Fuente is the Editor of DreamActivist. You can email her at flavia@dreamactivist.org and follow her on Twitter.

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