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Dear Friends and Allies,
In an eloquent poem, Langston Hughes told us to "hold fast to dreams." Today we must hold fast to dreams and to Dreamers, those immigrants who came to this country as children and have grown up here as members of our communities. We must hold fast despite every attack, despite the latest court decision attacking Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). We must hold fast to our dream of a country big enough for all of us, a welcoming country, a country made smarter and stronger and better by each new wave of immigrants. [LINK: [link removed]]
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on October 5 that the Obama administration lacked legal authority to establish DACA in the way that it did. The court's decision left open the question of whether the Biden administration's regulation re-establishing DACA was legally authorized. The 5th Circuit sent the case back to the district court judge to consider that question. Since then, Texas Federal District Court Judge Andrew Hanen extended the temporary injunction he had previously issued on DACA. Under his order, the Biden administration's new DACA regulation may not go into effect on October 31. He will issue a ruling on its legality at a future date.
In the meantime, the court left DACA in the same limbo that it has been in since the Trump administration began trying to dismantle it: current DACA recipients continue to be protected and may renew their status regularly. The next decision will come from the district court, and then there will be more appeals.
The only actual solution is Congressional action. Congress can act to give Dreamers a pathway to citizenship. Congress can also pass the Afghan Adjustment Act to provide safety and a pathway to citizenship for Afghan refugees. Congress can act to protect millions of undocumented members of our communities, most of whom have lived and worked here for decades. Only Congress can pass the laws that will safeguard Dreamers and dreams.
November 8 is Election Day. Every office on the ballot is important. Make sure to do your research on candidates' positions, including their positions on immigration.
Do not give up on dreams. When we dream a welcoming country, we can work to make our dreams a shared reality. Hold fast to dreams.
In solidarity,
Veena Iyer
ILCM Executive Director
Save the Date: November 18
Give to the Max Day, Minnesota's biggest giving day, is almost here! By supporting ILCM through early giving and on Give to the Max Day, you can help ILCM win Golden Ticket prizes that are randomly selected from donations from November 1-18. Additionally, we are excited to announce matching gift challenges from generous ILCM supporters - this means your gift goes twice as far! [LINK: [link removed]]
Frequently Asked Questions: Decision on DACA
On October 5, 2022, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decided the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program violates U.S. immigration law. The appeals court did not order the Biden administration to shut down DACA or stop processing renewal applications.
ILCM compiled frequently asked questions into a fact sheet and translated it into Spanish.
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Getting out the Vote
ILCM is grateful to our partner the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) for supporting our voter engagement work. ILCM mailed postcards to former clients who have successfully acquired United States citizenship to encourage them to register and vote in the coming election. Postcards were written in the languages most commonly spoken by ILCM's naturalized clients - Arabic, English, Karen, Somali, and Spanish.
Congratulations Tinzing!
Tinzing Artmann, Target pro bono paralegal extraordinaire and former ILCM board member, was recognized as an Unsung Hero by Minnesota Lawyer! It was with great pleasure that we nominated Tinzing Artmann for this award earlier this summer. Over the last several years working as a paralegal at Target, Tinzing has been a fierce advocate for ILCM, our organizational mission, and the clients whom we serve. She has partnered with several attorneys at Target on a large number of cases over the years. Through her unwavering passion, dedication, and kindness, Tinzing has made an indelible impact on ILCM, the Pro Bono Project, and its clients. ILCM pro bono coordinator Griselda Gurrola-Martinez and executive director Veena Iyer were overjoyed to join in celebrating Tinzing at the award ceremony! [LINK: [link removed]]
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