ICE Intimidates Student Activist: Donate Here

I have faith…

I have faith that God will help us through this test…

I have faith in people.

This is my story…

On July 26, 2006, Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) came to my home and detained my parents and sisters. My family came to the United States 15 years ago. Over the course of those 15 years we have become integrated in this community, we have paid our taxes, and have tried several times to legalize our status.

When I graduated from high school, one of my goals was to go to college. I knew that an education would give me the freedom I so long for. I knew that an education was a human right. However, because I was an undocumented student this meant I was not eligible for this right. Did this mean that because I was undocumented I was not worthy enough to be considered a human being?

I fought for my right to a college education and successfully was admitted to Miami Dade College in the fall of 2003. But that was not the outcome for many others, and I knew that I had to fight for this injustice. I knew that MLK was right when he said "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

I began to fight for educational rights. I fought for immigrant students rights. I stood up and spoke out. I marched along thousands of people. I humbly testified and shared my story with many people in hopes that I would be able to kindle their hearts and change their minds. I prayed to the Almighty God on my knees, and I asked for a change.

I have endured the burden of this responsibility for almost two years. ICE officers told my family to thank me for what was happening to them. ICE officers told my parents to reprimand me for what I was doing. ICE officers threatened me and asked me to stay quiet. And yesterday the herald wrote U.S. Immigration Judge Carey Holliday had refused to hear their arguments.

Pacheco "freely chose to draw unwanted attention to herself and her family," he wrote in a March 18 response. "People who live in glass houses should not throw stones."That runs through my head every single day, and like a dagger those words cut through my chest and stab my heart.

My family has been extremely supportive of my cause. My father has told me several times he is proud of me. He brings me up when I am down. He has been the wind beneath my wings. My mom says that I inherited from her the fighter in me. I love my family, and I also love this country! I know that justice and love will prevail in the end. I know this because one of the ICE officers said to my mom, “Why are you crying? Don’t you believe in God?” He comforted her, he was humane, and he showed her love.

I believe in the power of change. I believe in the power we have to make a difference and do good. One day I had to give a speech around September 11. I remember hearing someone talk about the tragedy that took place that day. And I remember thinking if 16 people were able to cause such a horrific thing, imagine what 16 people can do for something good. It really takes one person to make a difference.

Time for a change is of essence in this case. My family will appear in front of an immigration court judge this Monday, April 14, 2008. I don’t know what the outcome of this appearance will be. We’ve been put in a very uncomfortable situation because we are uncertain of the future. My family has to be ready to ask for voluntary departure in order to avoid being detained in a detention center. We need to present passports, airline tickets, bonds, and other fees, and we are reaching out to our friends and family for help. Unfortunately, we are really short on the money, and today I ask for your help. I have set aside my pride and feelings of shame because I really need your help.

I am dying inside because I feel my family is being snatched away from me. Even though I am 23 years old, I still need my mom. I have been terribly sick these past few weeks, and she has been the one that has spoon-fed me the medicine, has made special food to make me feel better, and has sat down by my side to caress me and soothe my pain away. I cannot begin to imagine what it feels like losing a parent forever. My peace rests in that, even though they are deporting my family, I am still going to be able to hear my mom’s voice and my dad’s encouragements through a telephone.

Thank you for reading this letter, and thank you for your support! If you feel it in your heart that you are able to help my family, please let me know. We need to have everything turned in to the lawyers by this Friday, April 11th.

Thank you once again, and God bless you,
Gaby Pacheco
Please feel free to pass along!

TO DONATE CLICK HERE

By MAIL:
Maria Pacheco
13380 SW 2nd Terrace
Miami, FL 33184

Play in Fort Collins and Boulder this week

FORT COLLINS:NOW
Remembering Edgar Chocoy
Play serves as a reminder of the sometimes fatal flaws in the U.S. immigration

By Greg Campbell
gcampbell@fortcollinsnow.com
1:05 a.m. MT Mar 27, 2008


Four years ago this Thursday, a 16-year-old boy was gunned down in the streets of Villanueva, Guatemala, by members of a notoriously violent gang from which he tried heroically to free himself. The regularity with which such murders occurred in places like Villanueva made the death of Edgar Chocoy at the tattooed hands of Mara Salvatrucha wholly unremarkable. But the circumstances of his being on the streets in the first place made those gunshots echo around the world.

They will be heard in Fort Collins as a play based on Edgar’s struggle to save his own life comes to the Lory Student Center at Colorado State University. It’s a documentary look at how a troubled boy who was trying desperately to change his life was sentenced to death by a flawed U.S. immigration system.

Chocoy’s story begins and ends in the slums of Guatemala, but his fate was sealed in a Denver courtroom. His Fort Collins lawyer, who hasn’t yet seen the play, said knowing his story will be told on stage brings back a flood of emotions, including anger and sadness. But there’s also hope and opportunity.

“There was a lesson to learn in Edgar’s death and we haven’t learned it,” said immigration attorney Kim Baker Medina. “I’m very glad that they did the play because we shouldn’t forget about Edgar Chocoy as a person and for what he represents. The system failed him terribly, and we need to learn about why that happened and we need to work to see that it doesn’t continue to happen.”

READ MORE OF THIS ARTICLE
STORY IN THE DENVER POST
ORIGINAL STORY FROM 2004

DETAILS
Du Novo, Part 1: Lil’ Silent will be performed in
Fort Collins
Date: Monday, March 31
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Lory Student Center as part of CSU’s week-long celebration of Cesar Chavez.
Spanish translation will be available on a limited basis.

The event is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

A second performance will be held:
Boulder
Date: Wednesday, April 2
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: the University of Colorado Law School in the Wolf Law Building’s Wittemyer Courtroom.

For advanced reservations to the Boulder show, email denovoreservations@gmail.com

G DREAMS

“G” is a first-year Korean American undocumented student attending the University of California, San Diego. To protect her identity and family, we have not included her name.

From the Korean Resource Center and http://www.koreamjournal.com/Magazine/index.php

THERE I was standing before a crowd of 100 people - their faces, I could not see because of the bright lights, bur-l could hear their thunderous applause. I was the lead and first chair of my high school orchestra and had just finished my solo on violin performing “The Theme From Schindler’s List.” As I bowed before the appreciative audience, I couldn’t help but think: The United States of America is a place where anyone can earn a position of distinction with hard work.

It was in stark contrast to an experience I had as a fifth-grader in Korea, my birth country where I grew up until age 12. My peers had voted me vice president of our class, and I was so excited. But that day, the principal called me into his office and asked me to give up my position. He told me that if you’re vice president, that means you have to help support the school financially, and he knew my family was not in a position to do so.

So he gave my title to one of my friends, whose parents were well-off and had called the principal campaigning for their daughter. All I remember is crying all day. My mom told me, “It’s OK. It’s not your fault.”

Five years later, I was in a country where I could earn and keep the title of first chair of my orchestra, though my parents were not rich or influential. This is what I love about America, my adopted country.

To read more go to: http://krcla.org/blog/691/

Call, Walk In For DREAMS

We all have DREAMS and ambitions that we strive for. Millions of teens in the United States are denied the opportunity and the right to pursue theirs.

They are Americans. All that they lack is one piece of paper to be recognized as such.

A paper that would allow them to pursue citizenship and a future here through going to college or serving in the military, the DREAM Act. Many of us do not agree with the military recruitment going on. Let your senator know you prefer a community service path

Tomorrow the Senate will vote on the DREAM ACT.
Call your senators over and over and tell them that you support a citizenship path for youth that includes college and community service options. Tell them you oppose the military service "option".

Tomorrow, Denver Public Schools has a day off. Students from all over the district will walk in to Auraria Campus to make a statement about how much they want the opportunity for an education and to contribute to our State and our Country.
Walk In with them.

Senators
# Call Senator Salazar: (202) 224-5852
# Call Senator Allard: (202) 224-5941
Email your Senators

WALK-IN: Make the DREAM Act a REALITY Now!
Wednesday, October 24 at 10am
Auraria Flagpole, Denver (Colfax and Speer)
Let's walk IN to the college campus and show others that we have the right to an education. We will then march to SENATOR KEN SALAZAR's office to demand that he be a cosponsor of the DREAM Act and make the DREAM Act a reality now!

Events: August 20th-26th

I'm going to cheat and add this event for tonight:

TONIGHT 8/17 Padres and Jovenes Unidos fundraiser
What: BBQ and picnic
Time: 5:00pm
Where: Columbus Park 38th and Osage (map)
TO bring: Donations for the food


AUGUST 21st Coloradans For Immigrant Rights Garden Party
What: Raffle, food, fun
Time: 6:00pm
Where: AFSC offices 901 W. 14th Ave. in the large apartment building. Come in through the door closest to 14th Ave.


AUGUST 24TH
El Centro celebrates its Grand Reopening with the legendary Dolores Huerta!

The event is free and open to the public. However, donations are much appreciated to help El Centro start up in the newly renovated space.
RSVP to tomandannette@comcast.com

August 25th Support SEIU Janitors!
Time: 4:00pm
Place: Park Meadows Mall
Directions: Map
Action: Support Janitors in their right to organize by picketing with them against the Millard Group
Contact: Veronica Vera 303-698-7963 extension 134 or at wera@seiu105.org

DREAM ACT update

While the Graham amendment to militarize the DREAM Act was taken off the table, the threat of further detention and militarization remains. Please continue to call your senators in opposition of including those.

"Update from AILA: The Senate just voted by 52-44 to sustain a ruling that the Graham amendment was not germane to the DHS appropriations debate. This means that we have dodged the horrible due process and detention “authorizing” language included in Graham’s amendment.

However, the Democrats and Republicans have reached a preliminary deal to include the funding portion of the amendment. It was very likely that the Democrats were going to be able to defend against the enforcement amendment so the Democrats accepted the funding as a compromise. Very unfortunately, the funding portion of the amendment may include 45,000 more detention beds, 23,000 border agents, and billions of dollars for enforcement. They are negotiating the text of the funding amendment now. Unfortunately, Dream and Agjobs are most likely off the table now."

DREAM Act and AgJobs CALL TODAY!

The Senate will vote TODAY on two amendments!
OPPOSE
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) will offer the Border Security First Act of 2007 as an amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations bill (H.R. 2638). This enforcement-only amendment would do nothing but add to the dysfunction of our system and the suffering of hard working immigrants. It must be OPPOSED!

SUPPORT
In response, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will offer a side-by-side amendment to the Graham amendment. This positive amendment would provide limited, targeted relief to deserving immigrant populations. However, we do not agree with increased militarization of the border as provided for in this amendment and must let our senators know so. SUPPORT!

Please CONTACT both as soon as possible
WAYNE ALLARD
(303) 220-7414
(202) 224-5941
allard.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

KEN SALAZAR
(866) 455-9866
(202) 224-5852
salazar.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm
Please call ... the vote could happen soon.

YOU COULD SAY:
My name is_______. I live in ________. I OPPOSE the Graham amendment that would:

1. Take away localities freedom to choose to be a "sanctuary city" and remove our right to ban law enforcement from collecting immigration status by penalizing our cities
2. Increased detention beds
3. Expedite removal
4. Indefinite detention
5. Expand "criminal aliens" definitions: Subjecting visa overstayers to mandatory detention, raising serious cost and constitutional concerns;
6. More money to flood the border with patrol agents and more National Guard on the border
7. Increased penalties for minor visa overstays

I SUPPORT the Reid side-by-side amendment that would:

1. Include the DREAM Act.I your support the option for college as a path to citizenship and support adding a community service path. Leaving military service as the only other option furthers the poverty draft.
2. Include AgJOBS , ensuring legal status for workers and stable labor for farmers.
3. BUT OPPOSE any further militarization of the border as provided for in the amendment.

Call your Senators and then call your friends and tell them about this Urgent Action Alert! Encourage them to take action on these important amendments!

DREAM Act SUPPORT: CALL TODAY

The senate is considering the defense bill right now. The DREAM Act is an amendment to that bill. THe DREAM Act in its current state allows undocumented students who have been in the US for more than five years, to legalize their status by attending college or joining the military.






Right now the anti-immigrant movement is calling senators to demand that they remove the choice of college. This would leave many students to choose between a life in the shadows and military service. While some students are interested in joining the military, even they do not believe service should be forced upon their peers who are not interested.

Call or email your senators every day this week and tell them that you support the Durbin, Hagel, Lugar Amendment (aka the DREAM Act) and tell them you support college as an option for children who are undocumented.