SAN DIEGO — Dozens of activists are organizing to visit Congressman Darrell Issa’s neighborhood in Vista this Saturday afternoon to urge the lawmaker to support passage of a clean Dream Act before the end of the year. They will be responding to his constituents’ requests for lawn signs, passing out voter education materials, and talking to local community members about the importance of this legislation. Later, they will be joined by Dreamers and supporters in a rally at Luz Duran Park.
This event is part of the ACLU of California’s statewide #CAisMyHome campaign announced earlier this month. The campaign has included digital ads targeting Issa and other members of California’s GOP caucus, whose votes are critical to passage of the Dream Act. On November 9, the ACLU flew an airplane over Cal State San Marcos towing a banner that read “Rep. Issa: #CAisMyHome, pass Dream Act Now.”
“With only a few days left on the legislative calendar this year, we appeal to our elected representatives to be fair, compassionate and timely. Before Congress adjourns to be with their families and loved ones, we urge them to vote to protect hundreds of thousands of immigrant families from being torn apart. A clean Dream Act does just that,” said Norma Chavez-Peterson, executive director of the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties.
“The fate of more than 200,000 California Dreamers – our neighbors, our friends and our colleagues – is in the hands of Congressman Issa and his fellow GOP representatives,” Chavez-Peterson added. “There is a narrow window of opportunity, and Congress must act before it closes. We urge Congressman Issa to support the Dream Act and work to pass it immediately.”
On Sept. 5, the Trump Administration announced it would end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, an Obama-era initiative that provided temporary relief from deportation to about 800,000 qualifying youth and young adults, who were brought into the United States illegally as children. Unless Congress acts soon, DACA recipients will lose their status and be rendered deportable. For many DACA recipients, the Dream Act is their best hope to legalize their status and remain in the country with their families.
This Saturday, activists will gather at 1 p.m. at Luz Duran Park, 340 Townsite Drive in Vista, then deploy to post lawn signs, talk with community members, and distribute voter education materials. The rally will begin at 3 p.m.
ACLU staff and DACA recipients will be available for interviews prior to the day of the event. For interviews prior to the event, contact Edward Sifuentes at esifuentes@aclusandiego.org.
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