EVENT: July 27, 2012 - FREE Legal Clinic

FREE Legal Clinics at the FALDEF office in NY (July, Aug and September). FREE Legal advice and representation to young people who qualify as DREAM Act students under the June 12, 2012 President Obama Directive for Deferred Action Status. Dream Act eligible young people granted 'Deferred Action" are eligible for work authorization.

DREAMers warned against scammers

Officials at the “Know Your Rights” seminar at St. Francis of Assisi Parish on 33rd Street in Manhattan on July 6.

(photo credit: Filipino Reporter)

More and more DREAMers, the young immigrants covered by the administrative relief announced last month by President Barack Obama, are reportedly being taken advantage of by unscrupulous immigration attorneys and notary public telling them they must pay as much as $4,000 to move ahead with deferred action.

Various stories and reports are running rampant across the country.

Know Your Rights Seminar at St. Francis of Assisi - July 5, 2012

“Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."

(photo credit: Steven Raga)

In these words of the patron saint of peacemakers, The Church and Friary of St. Francis of Assisi hosted a forum on July 5^th that honored their mission of being a “WITNESS to our faith by ministering to everyone, especially those who are poor, alienated or oppressed”. The Philippine Consulate General of New York (PCGNY www.pcgny.org ), in cooperation with the Fil-Am Defense Fund (FALDEF www.faldef.org ) presented a “Know Your Rights Seminar” immediately after the weekday evening mass.

It was a resounding success. It was a perfect melding of the Consul’s mission of assisting and protecting its citizens in another country and FALDEF’s pro-bono mission of educating and defending the rights of those marginalized by society, particularly with regards to immigration. The attendance overflowed as benches were brought into the hall and yet some, who came later, had to stand while the young ones sat comfortably on the floor. Handouts disseminated by FALDEF gave basic information on the Obama Directive on Dreamers as well as dates for legal clinics at their FALDEF office (see below for details).

(photo credit: Dino Villa-Real)

A powerful and informative presentation by FALDEF President Atty. JT Mallonga allowed people to get a summarized idea of the Obama Executive Order on Dream Act. Being the lead attorney of the Dreamer, Jose Antonio Vargas who was on the cover of Time Magazine recently (www.dreamact.info ), it gave those in the room the sense of empowerment for them to ask questions anonymously during the Open Forum segment of the seminar. It was Consul Felipe Carino III who read the collected questions from the audience some of which were fielded by Atty. Mallonga, the Deputy Consul General Theresa Dizon de Vega and by Atty. Rio Guerrero of Guerrero Yee LLP who gave a presentation on Labor Rights. A delicious dinner was also served to those present thereby feeding not only their spirit but bodies as well.

In support of FALDEF, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) had its Executive Director Steve Raga, Director of Advocacy, and State of NJ Chair, Nimfa Tinana were present. They, along with other FALDEF members Angie Cruz, Phd, Joe Ramos and other volunteers, helped make the seminar the success that it was.

The ministering act of four organizations come together to serve the voiceless in the community is the kind of work that will one day achieve the impossible: the humane treatment of our brothers and sisters who are out of status. After all, though this was but one event, St. Francis life exemplifies that he lived what he believed, “All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.”

For those who are interested, the following are the pertinent information for the FALDEF & NaFFAA legal clinic sessions:

WHERE:      FALDEF office, Lovin Life Center, 4 West 43^rd St, Suite 505, NY, NY 10038

WHEN:         JUL 27, AUG 24, SEPT 28, 3-8PM

CONTACT: (212) 221-1888, Atty. JT Mallonga @ jtmallonga@faldef.org, Atty. Merit Salud efsalud@aol.com

*submitted by Marie Aunio, FALDEF's Special Assistant to the President

EVENT: July 6, 2012 Know Your Rights Seminar

6:45PM - 8:30PM

Seminar on your rights as an immigrant in the United States and the DREAMers initiative by Pres. Obama.

St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Damaso Hall, 129 West 31st St. NYC

sponsored by St. Francis of Assisi Parish Community in cooperation with FALDEF and Philippine Consulate General New York.

QUEENS SOLON REASSURES FIL-AMS

New York Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx) reaffirmed his solid support to two major causes being pushed today by the Filipino-American communities across the United States — the passage of the SAVE Our Industries Act and the DREAM Act.

Crowley, a chief deputy whip in the Democratic leadership of the House of Representatives, is a co-sponsor of the SAVE Our Industries Act that would allow Philippine-made apparel using U.S. fabrics to enter the U.S. duty free and benefit both countries tremendously.

In a town hall meeting on June 25 at LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, he met with Filipino diplomatic leaders headed by Philippine ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., as well as leaders of the Fil-Am community headed by lawyers J.T. Mallonga and Merit Salud, both representing the Filipino American Legal Defense and Education Fund (FALDEF) and the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA).

REACTION FROM 2 FILIPINOS: Obama unveils new immigration doctrine

WRITTEN BY EDMUND M. SILVESTRE ,, Filipino REPORTER

The White House caught some shadowy immigrants off guard, particularly the so-called “dreamers,” when in the morning of June 15 it announced that President Barack Obama would issue an executive order allowing over 800,000 qualified undocumented young immigrants to remain in the United States and obtain work permit.

John Quidilla, an undocumented 24-year-old Filipino who previously lived in New York before his family settled in Plano, Texas, was still asleep when he received a text message from a friend who told him to watch the news.

“This can’t be happening,” Quidilla recalled telling himself while hearing for the first time the breaking news.

“Na-surprised ako...it’s so surreal,” he told the Filipino Reporter in a phone interview last Tuesday.

“My mother and siblings are all excited for me. They have been supportive of me all the way...they are my strength.”

Jose Antonio Vargas Featured in Time Magazine

"Inside the world of an ILLEGAL immigrant." - Jose Antonio Vargas

Jose Antonio Vargas as featured in Time Magazine, June 14, 2012

Click HERE to read the story.

Department of Homeland Security Updates

Secretary Napolitano Announces Deferred Action Process for Young People Who Are Low  Enforcement Priorities

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010

WASHINGTON— Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today announced that effective immediately, certain young people who were brought to the United States as young children, do not present a risk to national security or public safety, and meet several key criteria will be considered for relief from removal from the country or from entering into removal proceedings. Those who demonstrate that they meet the criteria will be eligible to receive deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal, and will be eligible to apply for work authorization.

Transcript of Pres. Obama's Speech on Immigration

Remarks by the President on Immigration

Rose Garden

Click here for video. 

2:09 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.  This morning, Secretary Napolitano announced new actions my administration will take to mend our nation’s immigration policy, to make it more fair, more efficient, and more just -- specifically for certain young people sometimes called “Dreamers.”

These are young people who study in our schools, they play in our neighborhoods, they’re friends with our kids, they pledge allegiance to our flag.  They are Americans in their heart, in their minds, in every single way but one:  on paper.  They were brought to this country by their parents -- sometimes even as infants -- and often have no idea that they’re undocumented until they apply for a job or a driver’s license, or a college scholarship. 

Immigration Forum and Out-of-Status Book Launch

Deportation and Rights of an “Out of Status” Immigrant discussed at the Immigration Forum and Book Launch at the Philippine Consulate of New York, May 2012

Immigration is arguably one of the hottest topics in the minds of Filipino-Americans, and immigrants of all origins. Many immigrants are not aware of the rights they possess and who to turn to for assistance.

On Friday, May 18, 2012, the Filipino American Legal Defense & Education Fund (FALDEF) officers Robert C. Rivas, JT Mallonga and Steven S. Siegel presented the services of their non-profit organization at the Philippine Center’s Kalayaan Hall in New York during the “Immigration Rights” event sponsored by the Philippine Consulate General Mario de Leon, Jr.  The event also featured the book launch of “Out of Status”, a memoir by author, Jen Furer.