Northwest Immigrant Rights Project has received thousands of calls and questions from the community since June 15, 2012, when President Obama announced that his administration would be granting limited protection to certain undocumented youth (sometimes called DREAMers after the proposed DREAM Act). NWIRP has created this page of resources specifically for individuals who want to learn more about this new policy. To get basic information about the details of the announcement, please read our community advisory and the information below. To stay up to date on this fast moving topic, please join our mailing list.
As the only nonprofit organization in Washington State providing comprehensive immigration legal services to low-income immigrants and refugees, NWIRP is working to provide community education and legal assistance to individuals who may qualify for this program and who cannot afford private representation. Details can be found below, but if you are looking for information about community workshops around the state, click here.
DREAMer Resources:
The application forms that individuals need to prepare are free for download from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):
- Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals;
- Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization; and
- Form I-765WS, Form I-765 Worksheet.
- Find more information from USCIS here.
Information from NWIRP:
Advisory Regarding Deferred Action for DREAMers - from NWIRP
DREAMers Education Qualification Resource Guide - from NWIRP
Information from our partners:
Information from government agencies:DACA and Workplace Rights - from National Immigration Law Center
Deferred Action Policy Explanation & What to do NOW - from Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Understanding the Criminal Bars to Deferred Action - from Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Proceso de Acción Diferida a Favor de los Jóvenes Indocumentados - from National Immigration Law Center & United We Dream Network
What Does Obama's Directive on "Direct Action" Mean For Me? in Urdu, Korean, Chinese, Bengali - from Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund
Warnings for DREAMers – from National Immigration Project
Beyond Dreaming: Undocumented Student Scholarships in WA - from WA State Commission on Hispanic Affairs
Updated Information from USCIS – from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration ServicesInformation Regarding Social Security Numbers and DACA - from U.S. Social Security Admistration
Community Presentations, Workshops and Legal Clinics
As many as 40,000 youth in Washington State may qualify for protection. NWIRP is holding informational presentations, legal clinics and community workshops with legal screenings to serve those that may qualify.
Legal Clinics: At NWIRP’s weekly legal clinics, individuals have an opportunity to learn about the Deferred Action (DACA) program, verify eligibility, and obtain form and document review by a volunteer attorney. Our clinics are limited to 15-20 people and are by appointment only. Legal Clinics are held weekly by NWIRP’s Seattle office at various locations from 5pm-7pm and monthly at NWIRP's Granger office. Individuals wishing to make an appointment for the Seattle legal clinics should call 206-587-4009 or 206-957-8618 and note that they want to sign up for the Deferred Action legal clinic. For appointments in Granger, please call 509.854.2100 or 1.888.756.3641. Please see the "What Should I Do Before Attending a Clinic or Workshop?" section below to learn how to best prepare for legal clinics.
Workshops: Occasionally, NWIRP teams up with the Washington chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and other community partners to hold large workshops around the state. Providing the same services as our clinics, our workshops serve a greater number of people in one setting. Our workshops are also free to the public; however, they do not require an appointment or pre-registration.
No workshops are scheduled at this time. Our list of scheduled workshops will be updated to include details as we have them. To stay up to date on NWIRP's currently planned workshops and presentations along with other NWIRP and DREAMer news, please join our mailing list.
Click here to see a current list of community workshops presented by other NWIRP partners.
NWIRP is currently searching for funding and resources to hold more community workshops. To host a community presentation or donate other resources, contact us or make a cash donation here.
What Should I Do Before Attending a Clinic or Workshop?
Before attending the clinics or workshops, we are asking community members to review our community advisory and, if they believe they meet the criteria for this program, to take the following steps:
- Download and fill out the application forms. These forms are available from the USCIS website and you should not be charged to obtain them. You can complete the three required forms (I-821D, I-765 and I-765WS) as best you can, print them out and bring the copies with you to the clinic, workshop or when you consult with an attorney. We do not recommend that you try to file an application before consulting with an attorney or accredited representative.
- Gather documentation that you were present in the United States on June 15, 2012 and that you have been residing in the country since June 15, 2007. To learn more about what types of documentation and the process for applying, please view our Community Advisory and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Checklist. We recommend that you make copies of all original documents and bring these copies with you when you attend a clinic or community workshop.
- Establish that you meet the educational requirements. Collect documentation that you are enrolled in school (click here for more on how to do that), have completed high school or have obtained a GED certificate. If you aren’t in school, haven’t completed high school and haven’t obtained a GED certificate but you would otherwise meet the criteria for the deferred action program, you will benefit from enrolling in school or taking steps to obtain a GED certificate. For more information on Washington State's GED programs click here.
- If you think you might meet the criteria in the President's announcement but have had any interaction with the criminal justice system (including being cited or arrested by the police), collect information about those interactions, including documents such as court records. This documentation will be important for an attorney or qualified legal representative to assess your eligibility for the program.
- Save money for the costs associated with this program. The application fee for this program is $465 and it will be very difficult for an individual to obtain an exemption from the filing fees, even if they have limited income or they are currently a student. In addition, individuals may have other costs, such as legal fees.