Dear Friend,  

The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind with President Obama's new policy of deferred action and the Supreme Court ruling on Arizona's law, SB 1070. I wanted to make sure that you know about these two important changes and what ¡HICA! is doing to help.

Deferred Action for Undocumented Youth

On June 15, 2012, President Obama announced the "Deferred Action Process" stating that he will protect undocumented immigrants between the ages of 15-30 from deportation who were brought to the United States by no fault of their own. Although it still does not provide a path to citizenship, it is a step forward.

• To qualify these immigrants must have entered the U.S. at the age of 16 or younger and be in high school, graduated from high school, or earned their GED. Eligible candidates will be considered for relief from removal from the country and the action of deportation will be deferred away from them. Those who are eligible to receive deferred action can also apply for an employment authorization document. For more detailed information in English and Spanish, click here.
• More information and guidelines on how to apply will become available within the coming weeks. Currently, applications are not being accepted and eligible individuals are cautioned to be aware of notarios and scam artists.
• ¡HICA! has been providing community members with the most up-to-date information and eligibility requirements.  As a Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) accredited agency, ¡HICA! plans to assist young people with applying for deferred action. If you know someone who is eligible, s/he may call us at 205-942-5505 to be added to a waiting list. Once the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announces its application procedures,  we will follow up with these individuals.

Supreme Court Ruling: Arizona Overreached, SB1070 Unconstitutional

This Monday, the Supreme Court deemed most of Arizona's immigration law, SB 1070 unconstitutional. This decision sends a strong message to Alabama lawmakers about HB 56.

• By a 5-3 margin the Supreme Court ruled that much of Arizona's attempt to take federal law into its own hands is unconstitutional. And it largely affirms that this type of law violates our Constitution, as well as our national values and national interests.
• But it leaves in place, for now, one dangerous provision - Section 2(B) - that inevitably will lead to racial profiling and harassment of people based on what they look like and how they speak, even if they were born in America. The Court's decision to postpone a final decision on this provision was a grave mistake, because the rights of Arizonans will be violated while this issue is resolved.
•   To read more about the decision, click here.

 ¡HICA! remains in strong opposition to HB 56 and HB 658 and the laws like it around the country.  These laws are impractical, go against our values, and divide our communities. They put extra burdens on our schools, our police, our people of faith, and our hospitals. We remain committed to advocating for national comprehensive immigration reform that will provide both a reasonable, affordable path to legalization and law enforcement measures that strengthen and protect communities while upholding justice and safety. These two recent annoucements are positive steps forward toward this goal but our state and national lawmakers need to hear from people like you to help make comprehensive reform happen.

As we continue to stand up for justice and equality, we need your support.  Donate today so we can continue to inform the Hispanic community, help eligible immigrants adjust their status along pathways to citizenship, and mobilize people to join the campaign to repeal HB 56.

¡Sí se puede!

Isabel Rubio

Executive Director