Search the Community

I am very happy to share the good news with my fellow dreamers; this morning I got an email from USCIS telling me that I have been approved and that I should be receiving my card very soon. This forum has been very helpful and I would like to thank all those who showed support. I'm still going to be around to show the same support for those who are still waiting. Keep your hopes up. Applied: 11-23-2012 Biometrics: 12-21-2012 R.F.E. Sent: 9-5-2013 R.F.E. Response: 10-11-2013 Last Service Request Made: 1-13-2014 Approved: 2-3-2014

Hello Everyone, Anybody applied for 2013-2014 California Dream Act and is ready to re-apply for 2014-2015 ? Let me know any difference. I'm going to apply for 2014-2015 soon and wanted to see is the application is different. I just started and it asked me "If I had obtained a Social Security Number" and "Did you obtain your social security number after the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) granted you Deferred Action status and you received an Employment Authorization Card? etc, etc

Hello Everyone, Today marks the day that USCIS received my application 13 months ago. The wait has been very frustrating to say the least, and the service provided by the operators when I call USCIS has been worse. I have many 3 service requests, I have written to my senator and I have even received a R.F.E and returned it to USCIS over 2 months ago and still nothing. I'm from South Texas and my application is being processed at the Nebraska Service Center, where they don't normally doesn't handle applications from Texas. At this point I'm just giving up hope. I had to turned down better paying jobs, got a ticket for driving with no license and I have to keep explainig to everyone almost everyday when they ask me about my papers. I'm sure there are many of you who are also part of the one year club or who waited almost a year to get your case approved. What steps are you following or followed to help get your case approved? Application Received: Nov. 23, 2012 Date of Biometrics: Dec. 21, 2012 R.F.E. Sent: Sep. 5, 2013 R.F.E. Returned: Oct. 11, 2013 Last Service Request: Dec. 12, 2013 STILL NOTHING

Hello, My name is Joel Sati, and I am undocumented. I was born in Nairobi, Kenya on June 3, 1993. At the age of nine, my family packed up and moved to the United States on October 24, 2002. Right after my 17th birthday, my mother took me to the local DMV to get a learners’ permit. They told us we needed to provide proof of residency; we didn’t have it so we left. I didn’t know why we didn’t have it, so I asked my mother – she said nothing, and we left it at that. I didn’t know that I was undocumented until September 2010, while applying to college. There was that part of the application that asked for the SSN. A huge part of the depression that ensued was the fact that I had received this news at such an expectant time in my life, where I had just finished my formative education and was about to make headway into adulthood. I couldn’t look at a financial aid form, and my new f-bomb was “FAFSA.” Because of my status, I was unable to apply for merit-based scholarships. I had received offers from prestigious four year colleges, which I accepted, but due to the extremely high costs, I could not attend. I then enrolled in Montgomery College, A community college in Rockville, MD, where I graduated valedictorian. I am an American in every sense of the term. I have gone to school here; I have my diploma and my Associates degree. I have ambitions to pursue a career in academia and research. I am heavily involved in my community, having worked with CASA de Maryland among many organizations. Outside of all this, I am someone who has a deep love for Philosophy, writing, and the Atlanta Falcons. I am a son of a single mother, a brother, and an uncle. My personal motto is short – strive not to just attain knowledge, but to advance it. The reasons I am behind efforts to pass the DREAM Act are not just limited to me. I know of so many young people around the country that have the skills and the intelligence to be successful citizens, but the current system precludes them from doing so. The author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie said that “stereotypes are so not because they are incorrect, but because they are incomplete; they make one story become the only story.” This issue is not just a Hispanic issue; it is also an African issue, an Asian issue and most importantly, it is a human issue. I have come to learn that there is more than one face, more than one story to this struggle. I became an activist to stand for these who have given all of themselves for the betterment of their community. For a large part of my journey, I have had the rather incomplete mantra “If I only had the opportunity….” That’s what I always say to myself. I am sure that a lot of young men and women share my sentiment. I want to stand with the rest of the DREAMers and secure opportunities we have dreamed of having. It is my firm belief that if America refuses to legitimize those who could be integral to our recovery, then America is not living up to the creed of equal opportunity for all. Regards, Joel C. Sati Find me on Twitter @JoelCSati

If you've lived this life since you were a kid you know what its like growing up without hope, no job, no license. People will tell you they understand what you're going through but the reality is they wont. The way we view the world is not the same as what the friends we have around us who grew up as American citizens or any other American. If you're someone out there who's ever felt alone, abandoned, forgotten or unheard. I want you to know that I've gone through it and I understand your pain. I want you to know that I understand the struggle. I understand what it's like feeling like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. I want you to know you're not alone. I want you to know that I've seen my own brother destroy his life with drugs because he couldn't handle growing up this way I don't blame anyone but himself for doing drugs to deal with his problems but things got bad and the drugs got worse. I hate putting blame on other things and other people but deep down I know what caused him to live way he lived, depression, an unstable home environment due to the way we grew up, parents having to constantly work their butt off to support my mother, me, my older brother, and my little brother in turn they didn't really have much time to do the "little family things'' that other American family's have. I just wish my brother dealt with his problems differently in a way that didn't hurt the person that loved him the most. I feel like it was me and he just didn't know. I looked up to him and I feel as if he left me to deal with this situation alone when we could have gone through this together. Things may never get better with my brother, It's something that I think about everyday and it eats me up inside to know that there's nothing I can do but be the best older brother I can be to my 14 year old brother and make sure I never abandon him the way my older brother did. On a lighter note my friends, my older brother received his work permit and license a month ago and hes finally driving and "trying" to get a job. he waited about 9 months. Also, my little brother was born here so he wont have to live the way me and my brother lived. so thats good Its August 30, 2013 and I want you all to know I'm still patiently waiting. (Initial review) I think of it this way. I came here when I was 6, I'm currently 20 years old. its been nearly a year but Im happy because I know whats coming.. Ive waited my whole life. One year isnt going to discourage me. I know once I get my permit and license my life's gonna change. Don't forget guys, we've gone through what others(americans) cant imagine. Turn that into one of your strengths. Be great guys. Opportunity is coming. Hope is here. Thank you for your time. and thanks for reading. I promise you. It means a lot to be heard.

If you've lived this life since you were a kid you know what its like growing up without hope, no job, no license. People will tell you they understand what you're going through but the reality is they wont. The way we view the world is not the same as what the friends we have around us who grew up as American citizens or any other American. If you're someone out there who's ever felt alone, abandoned, forgotten or unheard. I want you to know that I've gone through it and I understand your pain. I want you to know that I understand the struggle. I understand what it's like feeling like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. I want you to know you're not alone. I want you to know that I've seen my own brother destroy his life with drugs because he couldn't handle growing up this way I don't blame anyone but himself for doing drugs to deal with his problems but things got bad and the drugs got worse. I hate putting blame on other things and other people but deep down I know what caused him to live way he lived, depression, an unstable home environment due to the way we grew up, parents having to constantly work their butt off to support my mother, me, my older brother, and my little brother in turn they didn't really have much time to do the "little family things'' that other American family's have. I just wish my brother dealt with his problems differently in a way that didn't hurt the person that loved him the most. I feel like it was me and he just didn't know. I looked up to him and I feel as if he left me to deal with this situation alone when we could have gone through this together. Things may never get better with my brother, It's something that I think about everyday and it eats me up inside to know that there's nothing I can do but be the best older brother I can be to my 14 year old brother and make sure I never abandon him the way my older brother did. On a lighter note my friends, my older brother received his work permit and license a month ago and hes finally driving and "trying" to get a job. he waited about 9 months. Also, my little brother was born here so he wont have to live the way me and my brother lived. so thats good Its August 30, 2013 and I want you all to know I'm still patiently waiting. (Initial review) I think of it this way. I came here when I was 6, I'm currently 20 years old. its been nearly a year but Im happy because I know whats coming.. Ive waited my whole life. One year isnt going to discourage me. I know once I get my permit and license my life's gonna change. Don't forget guys, we've gone through what others(americans) cant imagine. Turn that into one of your strengths. Be great guys. Opportunity is coming. Hope is here. Thank you for your time. and thanks for reading. I promise you. It means a lot to be heard.

i was wondering if any of you know or are some of the few who have been denied? i'm really curious. i'm nervous also, i've been waiting since Oct 29 (the day i went for my fingerprints) to hear from them but nothing....

One of my bestfriends, who is also a dreamer and also part of the deferred action, is running to be able to win a scholarship. Your vote counts!!!!! Please!!!! Vote!!! It takes only a few min. Visit her project page at http://dreambig.maker.good.is/projects/Bridgetsdream and click “Vote for this Idea” to vote for her! 1. Click vote and sign up with your email 2. Then go to your email account and open the email from "GOOD Maker" to confirm your vote. Please!!! Keep the DREAM support rolling!