The Arizona Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers’ Association, The State Bar of Arizona, Arizona DREAM Act Coalition, Somos America, Announce “No DREAM Deferred” Initiative Lawyers Offer Help to DREAMers Candidates for New Immigration Policy
Phoenix, A.Z.- The Arizona DREAM Act Coalition, the largest immigrant youth led organization working for the passage of the DREAM Act in Arizona, announces it will join forces with lawyers affiliated with AILA (American Immigration Lawyers Association) in Arizona, members of the State Bar- Immigration branch and Somos America to provide free expert advise for the candidates to the new immigration policy announced June 15th, 2012 by President Obama.
The formal announcement will take place today, Thursday July the 12th, at 9:30 A.M. at the Historic Supreme Court, located at 1700 W. Washington St. Suite 200.
The Obama administration recently announced through administrative authority that, on a case-by-case basis, USCIS will be granting deferred enforcement action and work authorization to young people who meet the following criteria:
Have come to the U.S. before the age of 16;
Have resided continuously in the U.S. for 5 years prior to June 15 and be present in the U.S. on this date;
Currently be in school, have graduated from high school, have a GED certificate or have been honorably discharged from the Coast Guard or U.S. armed forces;
Have not been convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor offense, multiple misdemeanor offenses, or otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety;
Are not above the age of thirty.
“This is an important development for our organization”, stated Dulce Matuz, chair of the Arizona DREAM Act Coalition, “In the past we counted with a small number of generous lawyers who provided pro-bono services for our members. These amazing lawyers helped us to stop the detention and deportation of DREAM Act candidates. Now that a new immigration policy for DREAMers has been announced, we welcome the assistance from AILA and Arizona Bar Association-Immigration affiliated lawyers”.
“Our mission is to get the right information to the largest number of immigrant youth, candidates for the new immigration policy, and to advise them how to avoid being taken advantage by notarios and unscrupulous lawyers who will want to charge them great amount of money. Right now there are lawyers announcing the services for a process that still does not exist”, commented Daniel Rodriguez, “Somos America”current president and representative of ADAC in the national United We DREAM Network.
