Immigrant groups sponsor events to celebrate rule change
by William Moore, Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota immigrant advocacy organizations this weekend are celebrating the new Deferred Action program, which was announced by the Obama administration last month. It will allow some immigrants under age 30 to obtain temporary work permits.
On Saturday, the Minnesota Immigrant Freedom Network, the Advocates for Human Rights and NAVIGATE will teach Twin Cities students about the program.
The organizations will also hold a celebration of the program in Minneapolis on Sunday.
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Marque Jensen, the Freedom Network's executive director, hopes the event will give immigrants a reason to celebrate.
"One thing that people don't realize that our present immigration status caused so much stress; it is the No. 1 contributing factor to unhealthy behavior and health issues within immigrant communities," Jensen says.
"So celebrating what's happened ..." he adds, will lead to a "better community for all of us."
Jensen said he thinks the new decision is only the start of immigration reform.
"I think the majority of Americans realize this is a common sense law, that people that were brought here as children should not be punished," he says. "They don't really even have a home to go back to. So, this temporary DREAM Act, or Deferred Action, can open the door for the long-term DREAM Act to be passed by Congress."
The Deferred Action program goes into effect next month.