In Jersey City, fewer DACA applicants did not deter volunteers

As published in FilAm, courtesy of Cristina Dc Pastor.  

Tireless DACA volunteers with lawyer Merit Salud (standing, 2nd from right)

In the heart of Jersey City, on September 22th, St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Jersey City welcomed the DREAM Act youth, the lawyers and the volunteers who vowed to assist the youngsters legalize their status via the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative of President Obama.

Within the church’s hallowed halls, the staff from the Philippine Consulate, members of the National Association of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) and lawyers and paralegals from the Filipino American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. (FALDEF) set up tables as the DREAMers and their families began trickling in. The clinic was organized through the Catholic Action of Mary.

Outside, the sun shone brightly while the cool breeze blew; it was a perfect Fall weather. But what made this day even more remarkable was that instead of welcoming the new season riding a bike or taking a stroll in a park, 15 volunteers chose to be in a church basement, patiently waiting for people who needed assistance. The volunteers were cheerful and showed eagerness. They paid no mind to what they were missing outside. They were committed to being there for the community from morning to afternoon.

Perhaps it was the weather or maybe there were other reasons but there were fewer than expected DACA applicants that day. It mattered little. This is not a numbers game. Volunteers were clear on what to expect and they committed to be present even for one person!

Most out-of-status immigrants commented that the turnout would have been bigger if the flyers and posters stated “assistance to illegal aliens or TNTs.” A parent of three DACA-eligible teens said there’s no PATH for DREAMs program in California. What the state has, he said, was plenty of scammers/lawyers who were offering assistance for a high legal fee.

The PATH for DREAMs program is an initiative of the Consulate, NaFFAA and FALDEF to assist applicants of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. A father came with inquiries regarding his children who live in another state. He was happy to know he had access to information and free assistance for them. A father and son came all the way from another state. Both looked extremely pleased as they gathered their paperwork ready for filing. Some only came to see and get a sense of what they needed in order to apply. The consulate used the opportunity to register them to the Overseas Absentee Voter Registration. Feeling empowered, the new registrants said they would now be able to voice their choice of leaders in the land of their birth.

As the day came to a close, the volunteers and lawyers pondered how it all turned out.

“The day was made more remarkable by the presence of volunteers,” summed up Merit Salud, NaFFAA Region 1 chairperson. “The brilliance and beauty of the American social tapestry and all the communities that made up this social weave is their propensity to assist one another in times of need, regardless of ethnicity or social status. FilAms made themselves available to serve others.”

Relater articles: GMA NEWS

EVENT: October 20 PATH for DREAMS at the Bronx

Saturday, October 20th from 11am - 3pm.
Sponsored by PAGASA SF, Inc. (Philippine American Group of Aging Seniors in America) and Our Lady of Angels Parish. 

•  FREE Assistance to Eligible DREAMers under the  Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) - 15-30 year old undocumented/T.N.T.
•  Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) for Filipinos

WHERE: Our Lady of Angels Parish

               2865 Claflin Ave.

               Bronx, New York 10468

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us via
email or call (718) 847-2300/(212)221-1888.

Click HERE to download the poster.




*PATH for DREAMs Program (Providing Access To Hope)

EVENT: October 13, 2012 - PATH for DREAMs in Queens, NY

PATH for DREAMs

FREE Legal Advice/assistance to eligible DREAMers under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

15-30 year old “undocumented” immigrants (T.N.T.)

Saturday, October 13, 2012

11am-3pm

PAGASA Social Foundation, Inc. (Store Front)

115-03 Atlantic Ave

Richmond Hill, NY 11418

For more information, call or email:

Phone:  (718) 847-2300/ (212) 221-1888

Email: pathfordreams@faldef.org

PATH for DREAMs is a joint initiative  of National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), Filipino American Legal Defense & Education Fund, Inc. (FALDEF), and Philippine Consulate General, New York (PCGNY)

Sponsored by PAGASA SF, Inc.– Philippine American Group of Aging Seniors in America

REFLECTIONS: PATH for DREAMS in Jersey City: Legal clinic, Voter Registration and Overseas Absentee Voter Registraton

In the heart of Jersey City, on September 22th, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, through the Catholic Action of Mary (CAM), opened her arms, this time, to serve her children in a political capacity.  Within her hallowed halls, the Philippine Consulate General of New York, National Association of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) and Filipino American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. (FALDEF) gathered together to assist in Overseas Absentee Voter Registration (OAV), Voter Registration for the Nov 6 election and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The Deacon blessed the day and the people who came to serve and of course,  he prayed for their divine guidance in their work !

(Members and volunteers: Catholic Action of Mary, National Federation of Filipino American Associations, Philippine Consulate General, New York, and Filipino American Legal Defense & Education Fund, Inc.)

Outside, the sun shone brightly, intruding in every open nook and corner that kind of soft warmth every one expects from a burgeoning Indian summer. All the while, a cool breeze blew steadily, creating a lazy weekend kind of day. The weather was truly perfect for the city’s first taste of fall this year. But what rather made this day even more palpably remarkable is the fact that instead of being outside in a park riding a bike or taking a stroll in the city, 15 people chose to be in a large church basement, patiently waiting for people who needed assistance! The volunteers were cheerful and oozing with eagerness. They paid no mind to what they were missing outside. They were committed to being there for their community from 9:00am to 4:00pm that day. Among those were a group of young men who could have been playing hoops, skateboarding or playing video games. Instead they were there, in full force, ready, willing and able!

(The Filipino youth volunteers)

Perhaps it was the weather or maybe there were other reasons why those who came to be served were less than expected. It mattered little. However, this is not a numbers game. Volunteers were clear that this was a possibility but regardless of that, they would gladly come for one person. The PATH for DREAMs Program, actually, had more than one person who availed of its services. This program is the joint initiative of PCGNY, NaFFAA and FALDEF to assist applicants of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. A father came with inquiries regarding his children who live in another state. He was happy that he had access to information and free assistance for them. A father and son came all the way from another state. Both looked extremely pleased in the end as they gathered their paperwork ready for filing. Some only came to see and get a sense of what they needed in order to qualify and apply. The Consulate was able to register successfully more than a handful. Newly empowered, the newly registered voters will be able to voice their choice in the future of their land of birth. As one of the volunteers commented, “one vote, one voice.” 

As the day came to a close, one ponders how it all turned out. True, the responses could be as different as perspectives vary from one person to another. But we are all one, as they say. Collectively, it can be seen nothing but successful when those in need and vulnerable are able to find a truly secure and safe place where they find answers and assistance that could empower them to live their lives even more fully than before.

The next PATH for DREAMs clinic is scheduled on October 13 and October 20 at Queens and the Bronx. For details, please visit the FALDEF website at www.faldef.org.

by: Marie Aunio, FALDEF - Special Assistant to the President

Undocumented Pinoys in US worry about work, deportation

(As reported in Filipino Reporter)

When John Quidilla, an undocumented Filipino, applied for President Barack Obama’s deferred action program that would allow over 800,000 undocumented young immigrants to remain in the United States and obtain work permit, the 24-year-old former New Yorker and now Texas resident began having some misgivings about the whole process.

What if Barack Obama is not re-elected in November and the new president decides to revoke the “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA),” as Mr. Obama’s program is known.

“Mitt Romney is opposed to any policy that would allow the undocumented, including those who came here as children, to become legal residents unless they serve in the military,” Quidilla told the Filipino Reporter in a phone interview.

“If Romney wins and repeals DACA, then all of our efforts to fix our lives will go to waste, along with our hopes and dreams.”

Quidilla is not alone, according to a Wall Street Journal article last Monday, the flow of applications for DACA has been slowed by concerns about what they must disclose and uncertainty about who will be the next president.

Immigration attorneys say the outcome of the election is a source of concern because Romney has taken a tough stance on illegal immigration.

During the first three weeks when DACA began accepting application starting Aug. 15, nearly 40,000 individuals applied, according to records.

The level of activity so far is a fraction of the potential number of eligible immigrants.

Quidilla submitted his application Aug. 29, with the help of New York-based lawyer J.T. Mallonga, who is assisting Quidilla on behalf of the Filipino American Legal Defense and Education Fund (FALDEF).

“There was some kind of relief when my application was filed, gumaan nang konti ang pakiramdam ko,” he told the Reporter.

“But then I also got worried kasi there’s really no assurance...hindi sigurado kung ano ang mangyayari. Kung mapapabuti ba o mapapasama.”

Born in Saudi Arabia, Quidilla was 12 when he came to the U.S. in 1999.

He finished high school here and earned his bachelor of fine arts degree in arts and technology last May at the University of Texas in Dallas.

With Mr. Obama’s latest directive, Quidilla disclosed he intends to pursue his education with a master’s degree in arts and technology this fall.

“There is no guarantee that I can find a job right away so I’d rather go back to school and be productive,” he said.

Quidilla and the entire family came to the U.S. legally through his father, Nelson, an exceptional engineer who held H-1B visa.

But his immigration nightmare began when his father succumbed to an illness in 2008 before the young Quidilla could become a legal resident, rendering his father’s approved permanent residency application voided.

With his father’s death, the family endured financial hardships, lost their home to foreclosure, and were forced to take odd jobs for friends and their church.

While the rest of the family eventually adjusted their status in different circumstances, Quidilla was the only one left without legal status.

On Nov. 2, 2011, he got picked up at his home and briefly detained and has since been placed in deportation proceedings.

Mr. Obama’s DACA program is Quidilla’s last hope to remain in the U.S.

Up to 1.7 million immigrants — 30 years old and younger who have lived continuously in the U.S. for five years — could benefit from the deferred program, according to Migration Policy Institute.

About 1.2 million are eligible to apply immediately, with another 500,000 reaching the minimum eligibility age of 15 in a few years, the non-partisan institute estimates.

The largest number of potential applicants — 460,000 — is in California, Florida, New York and Texas also have many undocumented youth.

Under DACA, successful applicants will not be deported and will receive a Social Security number and work permit.

They must reapply every two years to remain in the U.S. and work legally.

“A lot of people are waiting to see what happens Nov. 6 before deciding whether to take the plunge,” Maurice Goldman, an immigration attorney in Tucson, Arizona, toldThe Journal.

Goldman said he has filed only 20 applications, or only about a third of the prospective applicants who have come to his office seeking consultations.

Mr. Obama announced the immigration policy shift, a significant exercise of executive authority, after failing to convince Congress to pass an overhaul of the immigration system.

His administration has deported record numbers of illegal immigrants.

The government has said application information will not be shared with immigration enforcement.

But “many people aren’t applying because they fear their families could be at risk of being deported,” said Tabbata Castillo, a 26-year-old undocumented Venezuelan in Nashville who has helped run information sessions for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition.

Related article: GMA News

EVENT: September 22, 2012 PATH for DREAMS

Saturday, September 22 9AM-4PM

sponsored by the Catholic Action of Mary

•  FREE Assistance to Eligible DREAMers under the  Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
•  New Jersey Voter’s Registration Driver
•  Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) for Filipinos

WHERE: St. Mary's Church
             Marian Hall (below the church)

             254 Second St (corner of Erie & Second St.)

             Jersey City, NJ 07302

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Click HERE to download the poster and HERE to download the flyer.

*PATH for DREAMs Program (Providing Access To Hope)

PATH for DREAMS provided free DACA screening to undocumented Fil-Am students: TFC Balitang America

Providing Access To Hope for DREAMs.
Reported by Telly award-winning journalist Don Tagala of TFC Balitang America.
ABS-CBN News

NEW YORK – Patricia Abella came to the US when she was only seven years old. The 23-year-old business management student says she never knew she was undocumented until she couldn’t get state issued ID’s and driver’s license.

Abella said, “Growing up my mom would tell me, don’t tell people you don’t have papers, they’re going to take you, don’t open the door, that might be immigration coming, someone’s going to get you, so she instilled that fear in us just try to be good in school and hopefully, once you get good education, you can get your papers.”

Abella’s undocumented sister got married last year and was able to legalize her status.

Patricia, who is openly gay, was asked to do the same–she was told getting married is the easiest way to legalize her status. But same-sex couples still do not enjoy immigration benefits.

“But even If I get married I can’t do this (legalize status). Damn, even that to make me happy, I can’t do it,” said Abella.

Juan Bangcaya came to the U.S. when he was two years old. The 25-year-old theatrical technician said he never knew he was undocumented until he turned 16 and applied for a driver’s license.

“That’s when they laid the news on me that I was undocumented, whatever, from then on I sort of didn’t care anymore, like college didn’t matter, so, I was destroyed, all my college dreams were gone, can’t go to college, can’t get the loans,” said Bangcaya.

Like many “Dreamers” these Filipinos call themselves “undocumented Americans.” They may not have the necessary papers but they were raised as Americans in the only country they know.

Now, thanks to President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA), these undocumented Filipino students have a chance at temporary legal status and a chance to get a job legally.

Both have applied for the DACA program thru the help of the Filipino American Legal Defense and Education Fund (FALDEF) and the Philippine Consulate in New York. It’s only a matter of weeks before they would find out if they qualify for DACA.

If granted temporary legal status Abella said, “I’m going to get my license, which is my dream, ever since I was young I just wanted to drive a car.”

“It’s one step forward to being normal,” said Bangcaya.

While Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney did not directly address what he will do for the 12 million or so undocumented immigrants during his speech at the Republican National Convention, the 2012 Republican Platform opposes Obama’s DACA, the Dream Act or any form of amnesty.

The GOP’s top immigration priority includes supporting a “humane procedure to encourage self-deportation,” said the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

These Filipino dreamers are hoping that if the President gets re-elected, Obama will work on his 2008 campaign promise of passing a comprehensive immigration reform as well as passing the Dream Act – the legislation that would legalize undocumented students and provide them a path to citizenship.

DACA-eligible Filipinos can take advantage of the “Path for Dreams Program” provided by the Filipino-American Legal Defense and Education Fund and the Philippine Consulate in New York –

A free DACA screening will be held at the St. Mary’s Church in Jersey City, New Jersey on Saturday, September 22, from 9 am to 4 pm.

1st DACA Clinic: Camaraderie, trust and fear

(as published by Cristina Dc Pastor in The FilAm on-line magazine. Photo by Hector Longrono)

It was a gathering of lawyers, volunteers and DREAMers accompanied by their parents or guardians. The Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center became the venue for the August 24 initial consultation between lawyers and DREAM Act students seeking to legalize their status — a venue which, according to consulate officials, provided a haven of “safety and confidentiality.”

An hour before the immigration clinic devoted to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was to begin, many DREAMers had filled the hall. About 20 applicants, accompanied by their siblings or parents had forged a camaraderie — their status bringing them together in a state of hopefulness and anxiety.

Area One was the first point of contact for the applicants and their parents. The families were warmly welcomed by four women – known as ‘titas’ or aunties – who are veterans of the outreach programs of the Filipino American Legal and Education Defense Fund (Faldef) and the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) whose lawyers volunteered to assist in the consultation process. The applicants’ contact information was logged in, and copies of various forms and check lists were provided. The families were reminded to “ask the volunteers and lawyers of any questions and uncertainties.”

Faldef President J.T. Mallonga opened with a short briefing for the volunteers. He emphasized the importance of double-checking the requirements, explaining the risks of applying, highlighting the necessity of the meticulous process and conveying to the applicant that the assistance being provided is not a guarantee that the application will be approved. He stressed that Faldef would always be available for further assistance.

The volunteers came from all walks of life: Lawyers and paralegals from Manhattan law firms; a principal from a Catholic school; workers in non-for-profit centers in Brooklyn; and a financial professional from Morgan Stanley were just some of them. They came that Friday night, never having been to any such immigration clinic before, yet ready to assist ‘kababayan’ and other nationalities for three hours of consultations.

In all, there were four different nationalities, about nine types of professions, four languages, two dialects and an age range from 23 to 60 years old in the volunteer community. Like a symphony orchestra, all 15 of them came together beautifully as they officially launched the first of many more Path for DREAMs Program events. The program is an initiative of the Philippine Consulate under Consul General Mario de Leon, Faldef and NaFFAA.

In the waiting area, most of the DREAMers shared stories of how their families’ salaries and savings practically all went to lawyers’ fees in the hope they could get a “green card.”

“I’ve been waiting for something like this in a very long time,” a 22-year-old DREAMer confided as he waited for his turn. “I wish there’s an amnesty so that my parents and my younger sister can be legal, too. I already completed two years of college and my family’s been here for over 10 years. I just wanted to be able to work so that my parents can go on vacation – and of course, to be able to come back and stay legally.”

At Area Two, each applicant — together with a parents or sibling — sat down with a volunteer and a lawyer who assisted in going through the eligibility check list. In a few occasions, lawyers in different tables consulted with fellow attorneys in order to provide the utmost legal assistance.

The room was filled with respect, faith, trust, knowledge, confidence and camaraderie of a community coming together to help the young DREAMers. In the safety and confidentiality of the room, the DREAMers shared their fears, heartache and longing. They hoped against hope they would get that “yes” at the end. To some that was the case. For others, it was not such an easy “yes.”

When every question in the application was answered, the applicant returned to Area One to submit the in-take paperwork for file, and was then advised to call the Faldef office before officially submitting the application to United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).

The event ended before 8 p.m.

Asked what he thought of the first DACA clinic, Mallonga said, “It’s not what I think that matters, it’s what the volunteers, the DREAMers and their families thought we did – that’s what’s important.”

“Path For DREAMs Program, at least, serves as a safety net to turn to and get further assistance in what’s next for the applicants. They at least now know there is place where money is not the motivation to serve them. They at least now know that they are not alone navigating the shark-infested waters of corrupt, greedy lawyers and a legal system that has chosen to forget their humanity,” said Marie Aunio, Faldef’s special assistant to the president.

“It was a successful outreach. At the exit interview, the mothers were appreciative that their questions and concerns were honestly answered, no empty promises,” said one of the volunteers.

“It is an indelible proof of what we could do as a community. Indeed, together, nothing is beyond our reach. It was indeed an auspicious start and proof that together, we could do it,” came Salud’s comment.

A second Path for DREAMS clinic is scheduled on September 22nd at Jersey City sponsored by the Catholic Action of Mary.

Related Article: GMA NEWS