19 Nov 30 local DREAMers received DACA renewal scholarships over the weekend.
CORRECTION: Current cost of a DACA renewal fee as of 11.19.19 is $495 NOT $496.
November 16, 2019 – On Saturday, Make the Road NV(MRNV) and partners from the Nevada Immigrant Coalition(NIC) prepared for a DACA Renewal Clinic. This DACA clinic was part of an effort with FWD.us and The Informed Immigrant coalition to help DACA recipients extend their protection amidst the Supreme Court case discussed on Tuesday, November 12. We were able to provide 30 DACA renewal scholarships to helped ease the $495 burden that families struggle to pay for every two years.
The Dreamers that came to the Clinic were first helped by filling out their applications and gather the documents required for the process. From there, they were sent our volunteer photographers who provided either free or reduced-priced passport pictures for the Dreamers, another hidden cost in the process. The next stop was with an immigration lawyer who went over their applications and answer any potential questions the beneficiary had. Lastly, they were given copies of all their documents and vouchers were given to those that received the scholarship. Thanks to our volunteers’ efforts, the 40 DACA recipients can keep living their lives in the place they call home, for many the only home they know.
In Nevada alone, DACA recipients make $15.8 million in mortgage payments a year.
Being able to provide this service to the community of DACA recipients was critical at a time when the future of the program and the 700,000 beneficiaries and their families is at stake. The Supreme Court is expected to make a decision about DACA between January 2020 and June 2020, in the meantime, it is important to support DACA recipients and uplift their stories, and their contributions to our country. DREAMers are homeowners, teachers, and leaders in our community. In Nevada alone, DACA recipients make $15.8 million in mortgage payments a year. These Dreamers are vital to our community and economy, leaving them without protection and a way to earn an income would result in disastrous effects in the country.
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Thank you to FWD.US and the Informed Immigrant team for supporting the clinic, and thank you to our partners in the Nevada Immigrant Coalition for putting in the work needed to bring this service to our community. A massive thanks to AILA NV and the attorneys that volunteered their time, Enedina Dorsey Kassamanian, Mayra Salinas, Sarah Perez, Romero Mario, and Hardeep Dee Sull.
If you have DACA please renew as soon as possible, if you don’t you can help a Dreamer stay in their home, donate to our DACA renewal scholarship fund here. To stay informed on the latest on the DACA case, upcoming clinics and other immigration related issues, make sure to come to our weekly meetings, Tuesdays at 6:30pm and Wednesday at 6:00pm. For more information, contact us at amigxs@maketheroadnv.org