Parents of DACA recipients are not criminals. Tweet, email, and call your Senators today to demand a clean DREAM Act!

Abril wrote, 

I’m a student, an activist, and a DACA recipient.

I’ve been living in Arizona since my family fled violence in Mexico when I was 12 years old. My parents brought us to the States to keep us safe and to give my three brothers and I access to a good education.

Thousands of Dreamers like me are now in limbo because of Trump’s repeal of DACA, the program that has protected undocumented youth from deportation. And today is the last day for Dreamers to renew their status.

Dreamers urgently need legislation that allows us to continue to live and work and go to school in the country we call home. But we refuse to be bargaining chips for the criminalization of our parents.

My two younger brothers and I have DACA, but my parents and my older brother who aged out of the program are undocumented. What good would it be for me to have protection if it means tripling their risk of deportation and separating our family?

This is why it’s so important for Congress to pass a clean DREAM Act that protects immigrant youth, but doesn’t include any strings attached, like increased border militarization or more enforcement of Trump’s massive deportation machine.

Tweet, email, and call your Members of Congress today to demand a clean DREAM Act!

My Arizona Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake, along with Rep. Martha McSally, say they care about us and will protect us, but it’s time for them to follow up their words with actions. The same goes for all of Congress.

Dreamers decided to step out of the shadows in the fight for immigration reform, and in 2012, we won DACA. But because of the lack of Congressional leadership, it was a temporary solution, and has now been revoked by Trump.

It’s time for our communities to come together again – not only undocumented immigrants and Dreamers, but everyone who understands that separating families, deporting, and incarcerating people is not the answer to make this country a place where everyone can thrive.

For me, thriving means my dad driving our family to church without fear of getting pulled over and detained. It means my brother going to the doctor without worrying that something might happen on the way there. It means I can finish getting my Bachelor’s degree in Community Advocacy and help move policy that brings true equity and inclusion for communities of color.

Help my family and thousands of others like us continue to thrive in America. Contact your Members of Congress to pass a clean DREAM Act now!

In solidarity,

Abril Gallardo

Glendale, AZ

Member of LUCHA, CPD Action’s Arizona affiliate

You can also get number to call key senators here. 

Here is an example of how a conversation could start (or you can just wing it!):

Hello, I’m [Your Name], I would like to speak to you about DACA and the DREAM ACT.

1) Donald Trump’s decision to end DACA will put up to 800,000 immigrant youth at risk of deportation.

2) The Senate has the opportunity to turn Trump’s step backwards into a step forward for immigrant rights by supporting the DREAM Act.

3) Will you co-sponsor the DREAM Act to create bipartisan solutions to protect undocumented youth from deportation?

Thank you for your time.