Santi

Thought I could share this, since there are many of us that want to figure out how long we have been 'officially' waiting. http://www.workingdays.us/ According to this, I have been waiting 47 days, and counting What about you?

Hello everyone - I have been thinking about establishing a Fund that would provide Financial Aid for those individuals that qualify for Deferred Action, but that are not able to finance the Application Fee for the Biometrics and Employment Authorization. Below are some thoughts. Please feel free to provide feedback: Dream Act Fund (Not 100% sure the name can be used, but I will use it for now) The fund would work to finance a portion/all of the expense related to filing for DACA/EAD It would basically work like a scholarship fund The screening process has to be rigorous in order to avoid potential scams Not limited only to High School students, or to Hispanics for that matter The emphasis of one of the qualifications has to be on education and on people that want to take advantage of many opportunities that are available whenever DACA status is granted In regards to staff, the idea would be to get volunteers in several locations throughout the country: Miami, Chicago, NY/NJ, Boston, LA/SF, etc The volunteers have to belong to the forum and have to be willing to invest some of their time in the logistical/administrative process One of the requirements to qualify for aid would be to have the potential candidates sign up to the Forum and participate actively, providing feedback and helping fellow dreamers. In addition, the Fund could serve as a Marketing Tool in order to promote the many resources available, and the constant stream of feedback/information from other dreamers. Some screening requirements could be: Be a High School student High School Diploma or equivalent Enrolled in College/Technical School/Advanced Education Programs Having to submit Essays (although not sure what they have to be about) Topics (3, 5, 10 year plan, etc) How many Essays (1, 2, 3?) How long each Essay (200, 400, 1,000 words?) [*]Household information How many live at home Monthly household income Expenses Currently employed? As a preliminary idea, the funds could be pooled in a Paypal account, which allows the flexibility of transferring funds, it is very easy to receive donations online, and it is very secure. The fund would hypothetically work in the following way: The funds would be provided via Paypal by potential donors Volunteers would receive applications by potential candidates Screening process would determine if they would qualify and what would be covered If applicant qualifies for Full Aid, the Fund would cover USCIS related expenses (Only!) Shipping expenses [*]If a certain applicant is accepted, the volunteer would be notified, and funds would be transferred from Paypal to volunteers Bank Account It is imperative that the volunteers have a 'low risk' Bank Account, meaning, the account is never overdrafted so there are no risks that the bank would use funds transferred from The Fund to cover personal expenses of the volunteer [*]The volunteer would acquire a money order from their bank and be able to ship the materials of the candidate [*]The Fund would be advertised mostly through Social Media and Word of Mouth. Volunteers would be encouraged to promote the fund as they want, as long as the Purpose/Guidelines/Objectives are clearly stated - they will not be allowed to modify it as they please - for consistency/campaign purposes [*]Even though Fund management is centralized, Marketing activities are Decentralized, and are up to the volunteers discretion. However, the more we market and acquire funds, the more people we will be able to help In a nutshell, this is basically how the Fund would work. There would be a strong need to advertise the Forum as well, since it is a great tool for all of the Dreamers to access information/share their burden, and also since it contributed greatly to the development of the fund. Also, I will research if there would be any need to register the Fund as a Non-profit, or if it can operate without registration. I am very serious about this, and I would like to be able to help people achieve their dreams one step at a time. I bet most of you guys would like to also. Please feel free to give ideas, ask questions and provide any feedback in regards to what is presented above. Keep in mind that this is not final and that it is merely a rough draft. Thanks in advance for your input. Regards, Santiago.

Hi everyone, My story starts in Medellin, Colombia, were I was born and raised until the age of 14. My mother decided to move to the US, so she left in 1999. In the year 2000, she sent for me, so I arrived to a small town in one of the Carolinas. I enrolled in HS, and started to work PT, since I was able to get 'fake papers' to secure employment. After a couple of years, my mother decided to move to Florida, since the environment in that particular town was detrimental to my personal development. Before moving to Florida, my mother was advised to apply for Political Asylum, since we had a very strong case to present to immigration, and hopefully secure a path to naturalization. We arrived in Ft. Lauderdale in 2003, and the process was going fine. Our case was being reviewed, so we received employment authorization and a SSN that had to be renovated every 2 years. Through this, we were able to get DLs and to secure employment that would allow us to get employment that allowed us to live 'comfortably.' In 2004, my mother decided to move further south, so we settled in Miami, some 30 miles south of Ft. Lauderdale. I was able to finish High School, and decided to work for some time. After a couple of months, I decided to enroll in college, since I qualified for in-state tuition, and was able to secure a subsidy for my education through a family member back in Colombia. After 2 years in college, I transferred to a 4 year university to pursue a Bachelor's in International Business. All this was possible due to the fact that my case was being analyzed by the respective individuals. However, this alone did not mean that I would be able to secure residency, let alone citizenship. During my time in the University, I was determined to graduate with the highest honors, since I was planning to attend grad school in the near future, and the programs that I was considering had very tough admission requirements. Everything was going according to plan. I was studying as hard as I could, and my GPA was very close to a 4.0. Through my academic performance, I was able to secure an internship with a Petroleum Trading firm, and I thought that the sky was the limit. Enter senior year, and start of the nightmare. During senior year, my application for asylum was denied, so we appealed the decision. This allowed us to buy some time, and for me to finish my studies. However, the appeal was denied and we were placed in deportation proceedings. Due to this new situation, I was not able to renovate my DL, and since I had to drive to school every day, I exposed myself to the risk of being pulled over and taken to jail. The risk became a reality. I got pulled over once, given a ticket for being a first offense, and let go (close call). However, I was to be pulled over a couple of more times, and since it was considered a repeat offense, it could be treated as a criminal one with the risk of being incarcerated for some time. Therefore, I contracted the services of an attorney to take care of that situation for me. It would not be the last. After being pulled over, again, I feared that this time I would go to jail. Apparently, a detective became obsessed with me and started harassing my house, saying that he was looking for me and that he was going to send me away for a long time. Because of this, I had to go into hiding for a weekend, until we talked to the attorney and, through the grace of God, he was able to erase the case and avoid criminal prosecution. Close call. After that close call, and after my graduation, I went back to the company I did my internship in. I was to be hired as a temp/contractor. This was because the company wanted to assess my proficiency, and decide if it was safe to offer me full time employment. I passed with flying colors. After about 6 months, my career was starting to take off. Many executives were praising me for my work. Offices around the world were familiar with my work, and management decided that it was time for me to go overseas. Enter the nightmare. The company decided to award me with full time employment, salary and benefits. This was like a dream come true, since I would be able to provide my mother with a more comfortable lifestyle and many perks. However, they noticed that I could not be legally employed, and I was forced to leave the company, albeit in good terms. Many people in the company asked why I left, myself included. That day, which I will remember forever, I fell into a deep depression. I wanted to go back to Colombia, since I saw a very successful, rewarding career slipping away. So much time dedicated studying the industry, the company and its operations...for nothing. My obsession with being successful, and to serve as an example to many people like me, was almost gone in the blink of an eye. Some days, I saw myself crying, trying to get some sense out of the situation, looking for a way out...without any luck. Apparently, all the doors closed in my face, and I would stay in limbo until ICE would come and tell me 'time to go, pal.' The decision was simple. Stay and fight for my dreams, or surrender and leave. I chose the former, and I was determined to fight until they forced me out of a country I called home. During this time, my new career interest dawned on me...I am to be an Investment Banker. However, to accomplish this, I have to go to a very selective graduate school that will provide me with the technical skills needed to become a 'Master of the Universe.' To attend grad school, I would have to take a standardized test, the GMAT, and obtain a very competitive score. However, in order to take the test, I have to show proof of residency, passport, etc. Once again, strike out. Even though I have stuck out several times, I plan to stay home. Like many of you, I want to stay and achieve my dreams. I know for a fact that there are many citizens who decide not to go to school, get educated and succeed. Rather, they want to 'suck on the government's tit,' and blame people like many of us for taking their jobs. Guess what? If I am given the opportunity to stay, I will gladly provide some 'milk' for that 'tit.' I just want to be given a shot. All of us do! In conclusion, that is me in a nutshell. While I wait for my employment authorization, which has been very detrimental to my health, both mentally and physically, I will keep culturalizing myself by reading works of literature. I will try to keep sane and pray that not only me, but all of us receive employment authorization soon, and a path to citizenship. If anyone has any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to send me a messsage, and I will be more than glad to chat and share your burden. Hang in there guys, we are going to make it! With the kindest of regards, Santiago.

Hello all - Need your help with a couple of questions. Please visit my other post HERE in order to participate. Thanks in advance. Santiago

Hello all - I wanted to ask you a couple of questions, and am hoping for some feedback (please keep in mind that this only applies to individuals that meet USCIS requirements for Deferred Action): Do you qualify for DACA, but have not applied due to financial circumstances? Do you know anyone that has not applied to DACA due to the above mentioned circumstances? The reason for these questions is basically to gauge interest in any form of financial aid to assist with DACA filing expenses. This only applies to individuals that have not applied to DACA, and also that have graduated High School and would like to pursue/are pursuing higher education. Your answers are greatly appreciated. Regards, Santiago

Well, we are at it again... The New York Times reported that the debate to overhaul the broken immigration system is being overshadowed by the debate of potential military intervention in Syria, in addition to debates about the Gov's Budget and its borrowing limits (debt ceiling). Since the Syrian intervention and debt ceiling/budget talks have gained popularity and are also being actively discussed in media outlets, the push for immigration reform has lost some of its lime light, but not its momentum. Even though House Republicans say that Immigration Reform has been pushed to the bottom of the list of priorities, reform advocates still plan to mobilize en masse during the fall to pressure the House to pass a comprehensive bill. During the month of October alone, it is expected that there will be rallies in about 40 cities, with a march/rally on DC on October 8th. Please click here to read the original article...

Hello all - A couple of thoughts as to what transpired last week and what is expected to happen this week : - G-Dub (President Bush) endorsed immigration reform on Sunday in national TV, and said that there was a strong chance that a bill would be drafted in the House. - Rep. Michael McCaul R-TX, criticized the current version of the bill, saying that the provision to secure the border was drafted in a hurry and that it lacked a structured plan...'Candy thrown down there...' In a nutshell, the momentum is there, let us see how the House debates on the issue and hope for the best...keep your hopes up and fingers crossed!!! Further reading: [url/]http://m.cbsnews.com/fullstory.rbml?catid=57592580&feed_id=null&videofeed=null [image/]http://media.tumblr.com/f01e2dfa666303c221a68918ef8ee9c2/tumblr_inline_mph3seA0TL1qz4rgp.gif[image]

As many probably know, a huge milestone was reached when the Immigration Reform Bill passed the Senate with flying colors (68-32). However, the real test is yet to start: The GOP controlled House of Representatives and their leader, Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio). Boehner is one of the strongest critics of the current bill that was passed in the Senate, and has explicitly said that he won't send any bill to the House floor unless it has significant support from his Republican colleagues in the House (the Hassert Rule). Moreover, he has stated that the Senate Bill 'needs a lot of work,' and he would rather vote on an immigration bill that has been developed in the House. This guy is a tough cookie with a lot of influence in the House, so the more Republicans that jump on board the bill before they reconvene on July 10, the better. On this date (July 10), GOP members of the House will meet to discuss what options are available to them and how to proceed. Below are a couple things to be aware of before the House opens the floor for Immigration Reform: GOP Members of the House are against a pathway citizenship (at least the majority of them) The House wants to offer both a comprehensive bill and single-item bills Some House GOP members have not even read the Senate Bill All things considered, there is significant pressure on Congress to overhaul the immigration system. Given the unpopular finger-pointing that takes place whenever there is either a gridlock in congress, or when a bill fails to pass because of increased disagreement among the voting parties, citizens (I mean everyone, even you) and voters are demanding that elected representatives get the job done. Also, mid-term congressional elections are fast approaching (2014), and the GOP has been under increased scrutiny because of the perceived notion that Republicans are to blame when something is not done in Washington. In addition, not only do they want to either have significant control of the House or Senate, they also want to be strong contenders for the 2016 Presidential Election and increase their popularity among Latino voters. Let us hope for the best and keep supporting those individuals that are constantly in the front lines fighting for the rest of us. Further reading: http://www.policymic.com/articles/51979/immigration-reform-2013-house-gop-now-control-the-game-but-what-they-will-do-is-anybody-s-guess http://www.voanews.com/content/us-immigration-reform-bill-facing-tough-republican-opposition-in-house/1691559.html http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2013/06/28/immigration-bill-test-for-house-republicans/ http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/28/19188789-congress-all-eyes-on-the-gop-controlled-house-now-on-immigration?lite JULY 10!

As per News.FIU.edu (Click for story) FIU is the first public university in Florida to offer in-state tuition to students who have qualified for Deferred Action. Before this decision was made this spring, local undocumented students had to pay out-of-state tuition. Thanks to the decision, DACAmented students will only have to pay approximately one-third of the price of out-of-state tuition... Therefore, if you live in FL, and are DACAmented, Get Educated! Click HERE for the article on news.fiu.edu Click HERE for the original article in the Sun Sentinel (increased coverage and more information). Super proud of the Alma Mater... Go Panthers! (Class of 2011)

Article? Click Here Ok - I am exhausted after staring at a computer all day, so here is a summary of the article: After a series of amendments tried to derail the main pillar of the legislation (citizenship) failed on the senate floor (see previous article), the bill is starting to tilt a little to the right to garner additional support from conservatives Additional support from Republicans will most likely translate into additional support from Latino voters in the elections of 2016 (read - quid pro quo) - my assumption Trade-offs and additional amendments could threaten the common ground reached by the Gang of Eight earlier this year The main issues of debate from conservatives are Border Security, Employment Priorities for Citizens, the Exit Visa system (major airports - to avoid people overstaying their visa), among others The LGBT amendment to allow partners/spouses of Citizens/Residents to obtain legal status was defeated, because it threatened the reluctant support of conservatives that currently back the bill Many supporters are strongly defending the provision to allow undocumented immigrants to pursue a pathway to citizenship, as long as certain criteria are met (as discussed several times before) So, big win for us today. Let us get ready and show increased support in the next couple of weeks, because D-Day is approaching very fast...we either attack on Biscay, the Balkans, West Med, Norway, Pas de Calais, and perish...or we storm Normandy and win in the senate... (yes - big reference to WW2...big woop, wanna fight about it?)

For your consideration... Several controversial amendments to immigration reform were defeated today: An attempt to discard the path to citizenship included in the CIR Sharing immigration application information with law enforcement agencies, and perhaps some governments Amendment that passed: Assistance to victims of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants We will have to keep a close eye on ® senators Jeff Sessions of Alabama, Mike Lee of Utah, and Chuck Grassley of Iowa, which are among the strongest foes of comprehensive immigration reform. However, the bill is gaining positive momentum and increased support from additional Republicans, which could ultimately benefit the performance of the bill once it reaches the senate floor in June... http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2013/05/cruzs-attempt-to-strip-citizenship-provision-from-immigration-reform-fails-in-a-big-way/

Just wanted to get you guys excited if you are going to/want to/are attending College right now: http://youtu.be/E5Zbz6kRFzE

(Sigh) Ok - as many of you are probably aware, the authorities identified the two suspects (one of them deceased) which are from Chechen origin. For those of you wondering where is Chechnya, it is a 'republic' of Russia - by Republic, it should be interpreted as an autonomous region where the majority of the population is of an ethnic minority. In addition, Russia allows them to have another language aside from Russian, and the region is also part of the Commonwealth of Independent States (former soviet republics). Here is a map: Chechnya is the #3 republic according to the map Chechnya has been infamous due to a separatist, radical Islamist group that want to establish the Caucasus Emirate (which would be comprised of the colored area described in the little picture above - not Georgia) and have strived to do it through violent means. The separatist group (read: Chechen Rebels) have been responsible for attacks in Central Asia and Russia due to tensions that have existed in the region for a long time between Chechens and Russians (since ~18th century). Why is this important, you ask? Well, the bombers were immigrants from Chechnya who came to the US and were naturalized. Now you catch the drift. During the time of significant, comprehensive immigration reform, the authors of the bombing were immigrants. They were not hispanic, latinos, asian, african, etc, but they were immigrants nonetheless. I just want to see your thoughts on how this might have a negative impact in the debate for immigration reform... Perhaps it won't stop the reform on its tracks, but it could spark a heated debate, in addition to amendments and changes to the bill. Thoughts? Comments? Concerns?

Do you guys remember the Pacman Doodle on Google a couple of years ago? I just wanted to bring it up and share an informative article accompanied by a very funny video about a lady that called Google complaining about the doodle! Oh that dog of mine! In case you missed the Doodle (disclaimer: I will not be responsible for you lack of productivity, LOL) https://www.google.com/doodles/30th-anniversary-of-pac-man Here is the video about the lady who called Google to complain: http://www.jest.com/video/2799/lady-calls-tech-support-over-pac-man-google-logo And last but not least, here is an article by the Telegraph (UK Newspaper/Site), that basically analyses the impact of the Pacman doodle in the economy: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/7764218/Google-Pac-Man-doodle-cost-economy-120-million.html It should be noted that the article does not specify the Doodle's impact in what economy: US economy? UK economy? I assume it is the US... Google is just a monster! Enjoy the post!

In case you would like to see it! What did you think about what was said? Share your opinions...

Here is an interesting article I found in the Huffington Post regarding how Immigration Reform could have a positive impact in the Social Security Trust Fund... It also describes briefly costs and long-term benefits of undocumented immigrants, and how CIR could significantly contribute to the Economy... Source:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/18/immigration-reform-social-security_n_3103500.html

Great news for all us, M. Zuckerberg, as well as many other leaders in Silicon Valley and other industries, have joined us in our fight towards an overhaul of the severely flawed immigration system. Here is his Op-Ed in the Washington Post: http://www.washingto...90a4_story.html

I just wanted to share an analysis of the current bellicose rhetoric taking place between Washington and Pyongyang. Please keep in mind that this was published in RT (Russia Today) as an Op-Ed from Patrick Henningsen - a writer, investigative journalist, and filmmaker and founder of the news website 21stCenturyWire.com. However, it is a nice read to provide another perspective on the ongoing tensions in the region... Also, please keep in mind: Don't believe everything you read or hear from the media Always take it with a grain of salt With that being said, enjoy: http://rt.com/op-edg...-us-danger-279/

As per an article on the Financial Times... http://www.ft.com/in...l#axzz2O0p5LaJz (Not sure if anyone else will be able to read it, though) To briefly summarize: Private Corrections Companies - read: Private Prisons - have joined the fight against comprehensive immigration reform. Two of the biggest ones, Corrections Corporation of America (http://en.wikipedia....ion_of_America) and The Geo Group (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GEO_Group), have collectively invested around $10 million to lobby government officials to be against a comprehensive reform to our flawed immigration system. These private prison companies operate many detention centers that currently house a significant number of undocumented immigrants. Their business model allows them to profit from the amount of individuals they can keep imprisoned...the more, the merrier. Since many of these companies are publicly listed (they have sold parts or their business or their whole business to private investors in the stock market), they have to maximize shareholder value - read: make money for the owners/investors. Therefore, they are going to 'try' to 'persuade' respective government officials to not only keep the immigration system as it is, but also to make it more draconian (worse), so they can increase profitability (forecast). However, they claim that their lobbying efforts are within the rule of law (snickers). Some numbers to give you an idea of who these companies are: Geo Group earned $1.6 billion in Revenues 2011, and earned around $70 million in profit for the same year The Geo Group also operates prisons in other parts of the world (Australia, UK, South Africa) ICE accounted for about 14% of their Revenues (2011) Significant Operations in CA, TX, FL CCA earned $1.7 billion in Revenues 2011, and earned around $160 million in profit for the same year CCA Operates in 20 states, and it is 'the largest owner and operator of privatized correctional and detention facilities in the US, behind the Federal Government and 3 states ICE accounted for about 12% of their Revenues (2011) I am a die-hard capitalist, and I love when companies make money - but I am completely against what these guys do. The Geo Group has been criticized for alleged human rights abuses, negligence, lack of medical care for inmates, among others. CCA's record is not better either. Further reading: http://www.globalres...of-slavery/8289 http://www.counterpu...-of-immigrants/ http://www.huffingto..._n_1731736.html

As per BBC report: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNArd7PbjyU

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Please guys, if you come across this post and know of someone, please let me know... It is for a good cause. I assure you that if you feel intimidated and would not like to share this situation publicly, I encourage you to send me a PM. In the next couple of weeks, you will see how everything will unfold. Meanwhile, I need complete honesty and transparency so I can gather accurate data. Thanks in advance for your help (if you decide to contribute - if not, thank you anyway).

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It won't pass... It is basically what they (group of House Republicans) want to see in the bill. It really doesn't say if they are a significant majority, a great number of people, or high level Republicans for that matter. Don't sweat it! BTW - What he said!