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The anti immigrant group, NC Listen, made a call today, to all anti immigrant people in North Carolina, to mobilize tomorrow at 10 am at the General Assembly in Raleigh. The topic: HB786, which if approved as law, would grant driving permits to certain undocumented immigrants in our state.
The call to anti-immigrants by Director Ron Woodard states the following:
“The Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly just passed a bill out of the Judiciary committee to give illegal immigrants a driver’s license permit and the bill also guts our earlier E-Verify bill to protect jobs for citizens in North Carolina. I know it’s hard to believe but the state Republicans will make this actual law if we don’t stop them very soon.”
Right wing extremists like Ron Woodard are not putting the safety of North Carolina first. Their anti-immigrant rhetoric doesn’t move us forward. Undocumented immigrants are as much a part of North Carolina and it’s economy as he is.
There are many parts to this bill that are problematic. But things are already bad. Proof of this, are the families and individuals affected by deportation and the way they were put in deportation proceedings. Racism and discrimination already exist. The deportations for something as simple as not having a drivers license already exist. The separation of families by the detention and deportation of immigrants already exist. Immigrants with illnesses without access to to adequate medical care and treatment already exist. Things are already bad. The question is, are we willing to allow things to continue this way? Or do we want change?
We at the NC Dream Team want change and we will negotiate with Democrats and Republicans to achieve it.
One thing we do agree on with anti-immigrant and director of NC Listen, Ron Woodard, is that you should not wait for someone else to change things for you. You and I, undocumented and all, have a voice and have the power to change our situation. Change is in our hands. To start, sign the following petitions and help stop deportations. Today it is them, tomorrow it might be you.
Youth coordinator of Immaculate Conception Church in Durham, Fabiana Palomo, is currently detained in an immigration jail in Georgia. You can find more details about her case in the petition. If the federal government is so committed to immigration reform, why is Fabiana detained? Sign and Call!
SIGN THE PETITION BY CLICKING HERE
Jose Guillermo fell into deportation proceedings after a minor car accident. The police asked for his license and since he didn’t have one, he was arrested and taken to jail. These are the consequences for not being able to obtain a driver’s license. His deportation is set for May 23rd. For him and all the cases that we’re unaware of, we are willing to negotiate with Republicans for driving permits, even if they have restrictions.
Contact:
Viridiana Martinez
(919) 704-0599
viridiana@thencdreamteam.org
Detained After Minor Traffic Accident: ICE, Drop the Hold on Fabiana!
Durham, NC – On Tuesday, April 9th, 2013 Fabiana Palomo-Muniz (A# 096-114-526) was involved in a minor traffic accident for which she was ticketed and taken to the Wake County Detention Center. Since Wake County participates in the 287(g) program, a county contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Fabiana is now detained and facing deportation instead of being released to her community despite having no criminal record.
Fabiana came to the US 8 years ago in search of a better life. For the past 6 years she has been living in Durham, NC and has been a dedicated and respected community member at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Fabiana has been working hard to help her community and has helped guide many youth within her church to better themselves by providing mentorship as a volunteer coordinator of the Latino Youth Ministry Program.
A prayer vigil will be held in Fabiana’s church to push for her release and deportation to be halted. Family, friends, and at least 100 church members and supporters are expected to attend. Over 500 petition signatures calling on ICE to release Fabiana have been gathered.
When: Monday, April 29th, 2013 @ 6:00pm
Where: Immaculate Inception Catholic Church, 810 W Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC
Online Petition: http://action.dreamactivist.org/northcarolina/fabiana
Our community thrives and depends on dedicated and values oriented people like Fabiana. She is an asset to this state and country. Fabiana should not be torn away from her family that includes her US citizen niece, 11 years old, and nephew, 6 months old, who she helps provide childcare for. Additionally, at church she develops the leadership skills of youth within the youth ministry group and provides support for the parents so that positive relationships are developed with their children. This type of volunteer work is essential for the positive development of US youth so that they are goal oriented and developed to be the leaders of tomorrow.
If deported, Fabiana’s family and church community will suffer. Fabiana is a low priority for deportation according to the Morton Memo released by DHS in 2011. Fabiana’s ICE hold should be dropped and she should be released immediately.
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The NC DREAM Team is an organization composed of undocumented immigrant youth and allies. We are dedicated to the creation of a sustainable, community-led immigrant rights movement in North Carolina. We aim to help undocumented youth recognize our individual and collective power to activate our communities.
Despite living in the United States for 14 years and a clean record, soccer Coach Eduardo Salazar (A# 200-717-517) is facing deportation in just FOUR days!
Take action: SIGN the petition and call ICE @ 202-732-3000 or 202-732-3100!
Sample Script: “Hi, I was calling to ask that ICE stop the deportation of Coach Eduardo Salazar (A# 200-717-517). Coach Salazar has been living in the U.S. for over 14 years, coaching soccer and supporting his family. He is a low-priority for deportation. Please don’t deport Coach Salazar!”
Eduardo Salazar is a beloved soccer coach, a boy scouts volunteer, and a loving grandfather. His family needs him here, especially his DACA approved son and granddaughter who is in critical medical condition. Make sure to take 2 minutes to call and sign his petition! Thanks for your support!
Call Wake County Detention Center at (919) 255-7111, Wake County ICE at (919) 255-7200 and DC ICE at 202-732-3000!
Sample Script: “Hi, I’m calling to ask that ICE drop the hold on Fabiana Palomo-Muniz (inmate #1064336). Fabiana is a committed member in her church and has been so for the past six years by coordinating a youth ministry program. She is an asset to this community. Please remove the ICE hold and release her immediately.”
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The Durham community is at risk of losing yet another dedicated member to deportation. Fabiana Palomo Muniz (inmate #1064336) is a devoted and respected community member who has been in the US for the past eight years and has built a life here with her husband. She is involved with her church and for the past six years has coordinated the Latino Youth Ministry Program at Immaculate Inception Catholic church.
Fabiana Palomo-Muniz
Fabiana was on her way to a training for youth facilitators through her church when she got into a minor traffic accident. When police arrived she was ticketed for the accident and for driving without a license. Fabiana then asked for an interpreter and even tried calling friends of hers to help interpret. However, no one was available and so communication with the police was not clear.
Fabiana understood that it was fine for her to leave since she had already been given a ticket. Such was not the case and when she tried to leave police arrested her. She is now at Wake County Detention Center facing charges of resisting a police officer with an ICE hold.
This is a misunderstanding and dedicated community members like Fabiana should not be torn away from their loved ones. It is also important to note that a driver’s license is not an option for Fabiana because the state of North Carolina currently does not allow the undocumented community to apply for one.
Fabiana and her loved ones need your help to get her released! Call ICE at Wake County Detention Center and urge them to drop the ICE hold!
ACT NOW!
Call Wake County Detention Center at (919) 255-7111, Wake County ICE at (919) 255-7200 and DC ICE at 202-732-3000!
Sample Script: “Hi, I’m calling to ask that ICE drop the hold on Fabiana Palomo-Muniz (inmate #1064336). Fabiana is a committed member in her church and has been so for the past six years by coordinating a youth ministry program. She is an asset to this community. Please remove the ICE hold and release her immediately.”
April 11, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jose Torres-Don
Mobile: 512-744-8804
Email: jose.torresdon@gmail.com
NC DREAM Team Supports RECLAIM NC Act:
Coming Out of the Shadows
RALEIGH, NC—The North Carolina DREAM Team (NCDT) supports Republican led initiatives for continued dialogue on immigration matters in North Carolina. On Wednesday, Republican Representatives Warren, Jordan, Brown and Collins filed House Bill 786-the RECLAIM NC Act that includes a process for bringing undocumented immigrants in NC out of the shadows through a driving permit. As undocumented people we are living through the consequences of the failed promises in the past decade from the national Democratic Party on immigration reform. We welcome this initiative from NC Republicans as a signal of their better understanding of the value in this opportunity to move North Carolina forward in a way that is inclusive of the Hispanic Community. We call on the leadership of this state, both Republicans and Democrats, to resist the bullying tactics of extreme anti-immigrant factions and arrive at reasonable policies in the best interest of the state’s economy and public safety.
In the summer of 2006 NC changed its laws that made it impossible for our undocumented families to obtain or renew driver’s licenses. This change was made under the leadership by then Democratic Governor, Mike Easley, who signed the Technical Corrections Act on August 27th, 2006. In the years that have followed, undocumented community members have been and continue to be deported as a result of not being able to produce a driver’s license. We intend to fully engage in conversation on initiatives from both, Republicans and Democrats, for the possibility of a driving permit. All legislators must propose and pass meaningful legislation that elevates outcomes over false rhetoric of hope. We welcome all initiatives independent of party affiliation.
To address the concerns that this proposal sounds like a round ‘em up and deport ‘em type of policy, our everyday lives remind us that this is vigorously happening already to our community under the leadership of the national Democratic Party. NCDT member, Viridiana Martinez, 26, previously detained in an immigrant detention center in Florida experienced first-hand such destructive policies of the Obama administration. Martinez states, “there is a cruel deceptiveness in the “low priority for deportation” directive from Obama that is nothing more than a talking point… we seek an alternative to the status quo”. Currently NCDT is rallying to stop the Deportation of dedicated grandfather and Boy Scouts soccer coach, Eduardo Mireles Salazar (Alien Number: 200-717-517), who has been ordered deported from North Carolina as a result of merely driving without a license. For Coach Salazar and the many others that go unnoticed, we support Representatives Warren, Jordan, Brown and Collins in their initiative to seek better solutions.
We are aware there are problematic provisions within the proposed bill and we intend to provide our voice to that discussion so that there is understanding of the community directly affected. The NC DREAM Team looks forward to having a bigger conversation about the enlightened self-interest for Republicans in NC to align with the national leadership of the GOP that has signaled a more reasonable approach in dealing with immigration and with that fostering a better relationship with a growing Hispanic political base.
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The NC DREAM Team is an organization composed of undocumented immigrant youth and allies who are dedicated to the creation of a sustainable, community-led immigrant rights movement in North Carolina. We aim to help undocumented youth recognize their individual and collective power to activate their communities.
For all media inquiries, contact Jose Torres-Don at (512) 744-8804.
NCDOT announced today DACA licenses will no longer have a pink stripe, will keep “No Lawful Status”
“No Lawful Status” with “Legal Presence”? Regular license instead of pink license? None of that matters because we are no longer afraid!
by Jose Torres-Don
As an undocumented DACA eligible youth I welcome this license as an opportunity. For us it has not been about what color our drivers licenses are. The truth is that our fight for the DACA drivers licenses has been more about empowerment in our everyday lives to take control of who we are and not let anyone tell us what our place is or is not.
We are taking these licenses knowing that the biggest and most important battle is the one in our head that leads us to our own individual liberation independent of politicians, policies (or lack of), anti-immigrant groups and anything and anyone in between.
Ultimately our perseverance comes from knowing that we are valuable and that no matter how negative the anti-immigrant rhetoric is, we are human beings and we will no longer engage in the dehumanizing process of living in the “shadows”…something that politicians on both sides of the aisle have advanced. We do not need a specific color on a license to tell us, and the rest of North Carolina, who we are. We are undocumented, we are no longer afraid and do not wish to hide that neither by being silent nor by being issued a regular license.
We seek to drive without fear, to challenge the idea that we should remain in the shadows and to challenge the idea that this is about an “us” vs “them”. Instead, we want to have a real and honest conversation about how being undocumented is a problem and how we can find equitable and reasonable solutions that work for North Carolina. We look forward to having a bigger conversation about the enlightened self-interest for people in public office to not be bullied by radical anti-immigrant groups and instead see the value in moving North Carolina forward that is inclusive of the Hispanic community. We cannot promise the “hispanic vote”, we won’t promise that to any party, however, the national leadership of the GOP has signaled where the starting line is for Republicans of reasonable minds. It starts with seeing the value of the opportunity over the issue of immigration and proactively bidding for a broader base.
Hello! My name is Alejandra. I live in Liberty, NC. I’m 18 years old and I am undocumented.
I was brought to this country when I was only 13 months old. I’ve been here basically all my life and now I have the chance to help my family! My mom has been driving without a driver’s license since 2007. In these past six years, she hasn’t been able to go out anywhere without being afraid of getting pulled over. She’s gotten pulled over twice already. But what can she do? She has to work in order for us to eat and she can’t be looking for a ride all the time. Everyone has their own life and we can’t always be looking for people to take us places.
This is why I can’t wait to get my pink license! I don’t like the idea that everyone who I show my driver’s license to will know my immigration status. The truth is I’m tired though. I’m tired of hiding that I am undocumented. My immigration status does not determine my worth. As of March 25th, I too will drive without fear! I wont be scared when a cop pulls up behind me on my my way to work, afraid he’ll check my plate to find that I’ve been previously pulled over for no driver’s license . More importantly, I’ll be able to drive my mom where she needs to go. Pink stripe or no pink stripe, I’m ready for my driver’s license!
Viridiana is in JROTC at Enloe High. Her dream is to join the Navy.
I’m undocumented: my parents brought me, my brother, and my sister to the United States when I was only 7 years old. We were looking for a better life. I remember when we first got here I was very excited about learning a new language but more than anything to see my father again.
The excitement only lasted a couple of years though because around when I turned 10, we stopped going out. You know, the things all families do: dine out or go to the mall or take trips to the beach. It was all because my father’s driver’s license had expired and we couldn’t risk driving around because he could get pulled over at any time. My mother lost her job and wasn’t able to get a new one because she doesn’t have a social security number – she’s also undocumented. Soon my brother and sister graduated from high school, but they couldn’t keep on with their education because they were undocumented as well.
Little by little, I realized what having “no lawful status” means. My plans, my dreams of joining the army or becoming a psychologist were fading away because I knew there was no way of moving forward with my life and going to college is going to be almost impossible. It seemed as if, as soon as I got out of high school, I would be stuck flipping burgers for the rest of my illegal life. I used this as an excuse for not doing well in school. In fact, going to school became pointless for me and I’m pretty sure for many others like me too. We don’t drop out because we don’t want to be in school. We give up because we don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.
This is my last year of high school and I thank God for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). Now after high school, just like my other friends with papers, I will have the luxury of several job options. I look forward to attending college or joining the Navy and obtaining a driver’s license. My senior year has been totally different from what I expected it to be: I have joined the JROTC program at Enloe High! I have better grades in my classes because I now look forward to a better future.
Viridiana at the We Need Our License Back rally at the NCDOT.
There is, however, one part of the licenses we’re going to be issued that I don’t really like. The North Carolina DMV has decided to mark the licenses of DACA beneficiaries with a pink stripe on top and other unnecessary labels that make our licenses look different from the rest. I think this difference will only create situations that will often lead to ethnic prejudice every time we need to show our licenses. It’s possible that the authorities will use our distinctive license against us.
Although my license will be looking different from those of my friends, I am still very thankful that I’ll be able to drive legally in North Carolina, and not only me but my siblings too. This license will make the state of North Carolina safer by letting us drive legally and authorized. To me the color and “No Lawful Status” label added to the license won’t stop me from getting one; they could even make our licenses triangle shaped, rainbow colored or any other thing to mark a difference between us and those with papers. As long as I can drive, work, go to college and accomplish my goals legally in this state, that is what matters.
Ungrateful? No. I’d say I’m realistic. I have decided I will not be getting a pink license. This decision has not only surprised my friends but also my family. I understand that by not getting one not only will it affect me but also them. The truth is I have been discriminated against for the past thirteen years that I’ve lived in this country. I’m sick and tired of it. On March 25th, I plan to come out publicly about my immigration status because I refuse to be further discriminated, but more importantly because I refuse to continue to live in the shadows and afraid. I will continue to drive without a license and I will do so without fear.
Monserrat at Securing Our Own Families Training
I thank my friends, family, teammates and all of those who supported us the dreamers back in January when we were fighting to get our license. I was one of those who were at the rallies, demanding equal rights. I never thought that we would be issued licences that brand us and single us out in red letters: “No Lawful Status”. Why not “Legal Presence” instead? After all, we do hold legal presence.
I’ve been in this country for thirteen years. I’ve missed my grandparents’ birthdays and their funerals. I’ve missed Mexico too. I’ve been asked before why I don’t just go back. I don’t go back because I’m not giving up. I have dreams and goals I want to achieve. Also, my family is here. But living in the US has not been easy. Fourth grade was hard – I got bullied because I speak English with an accent. In middle school, the problem was my skin color. And in high school.. well that’s when I realized what it means to be illegal. It was during junior and senior year that I understood everything perfectly. Not only was my skin color the problem, but also my immigration status. Senior year, while everyone was filling out their college applications, a classmate who was also illegal and I were the only ones not doing it. Not because we didn’t want to but because we couldn’t. I will never forget what I felt during that time.
Monserrat at the We Want Our License Rally at the NCDOT
We all have decisions to make and I know that at the end of the day a license is a license, and boy do I need it. But.. no, thank you. I have decided not to get a pink license because I refuse to allow anyone else to single me out, bully me, or make me feel less human and less of a person because of my immigration status. This will not keep me from driving, however. I will be driving without fear!
As part of the NC Dream Team, I believe in the power of organizing. I believe in the power of my community to stand up and fight back. Whether you have to get a pink license or you choose not to, I encourage you to DROP THE FEAR. What matters is that we drop the fear of ICE or the police and acknowledge the power we have as a community to fight back. On March 25th, I am driving without fear. Will you be there? Will you drop the fear?
What: Driving Without Fear / Manejando Sin Miedo Rally
Where: DMV on 2431 Spring Forest Road, North Raleigh, NC, 27615
Time: 3 pm
FACT: More people have been deported under President Obama than under any other president.
image by Victoria Bouloubasis
Despite the hype about comprehensive immigration reform, we can smell the horse manure from miles away. We continue to get calls from people in our community who are getting deported. Mothers like Lorena and Maria Juana, fathers like Isaias, grandfathers like Miguel, and dreamers like Flavio, are the gangbangers President Obama has tried to deport.
This was taken at McLeansville Elementary School. It is a note Maria Juana Perez dropped off at the front desk explaining why her daughters, 9 year-old Nayely and 7 year-old Blanca, missed school the previous day. They were at Senator Hagan’s office asking her to help stop their mother’s deportation. Maria Juana was set to be deported 6 days from the day this note was written.
You see, as undocumented youth who belong to undocumented families, we cannot afford to wait around for comprehensive immigration reform to happen. We at the North Carolina Dream Team have decided to take matters into our own hands. We are securing our own families and in doing so, we plan to secure our own community.
image by V. Bouloubasis
On Sunday, February 17th, NCDT members and our families gathered for an afternoon of information and preparation. We shared with our parents and aunts and uncles and cousins the work we have been doing in the past year. Our families had heard about our work but there’s nothing like bringing them all together. Everyone left with an emergency packet ready to go in case of an arrest by the police or ICE. You see, it is not only us – undocumented youth – who want to no longer remain in the shadows. Our entire families want to no longer remain in the shadows. And it’s our responsibility as undocumented youth to inform and prepare our families for whatever may come. We are our own voice. We are our own power!
image by Victoria B.
If you are interested in having a Secure Your Own Community training, get in touch with Cinthia Marroquin. That’s her in the picture above. You can email her at cinthia@thencdreamteam.org.
