Back in 2008, candidate Barack Obama called the DREAM Act, "something we could do right away" to clear up some basic injustices in this country. He argued passionately for the need to provide a path to citizenship for young people, like Ricardo Muñiz, who had been brought to the U.S. through no fault of their own.

Watch:

Where's the DREAM Act now? In 2010, after passing out of the U.S. House of Representatives and gaining a majority of votes in the Senate, it was blocked by a Republican filibuster. In 2011, many states are fighting battles over local versions of the bill, Barack Obama is again campaigning on the DREAM Act, and Sarah Palin is busy slamming it (at Ellis Island no less). Senator Durbin (D-IL) has re-introduced it, alongside thirty of his colleagues in the Senate, but the common-sense legislation faces a rocky fate in this Congress.

More importantly than where the DREAM Act is, perhaps, are where the DREAMers are -- the hundreds of thousands of young people who would be eligible to earn their citizenship through completing two years of college or military service. The young leaders of the DREAM Act movement are still working hard to build support for DREAM, but they are busy fighting off anti-immigrant legislation in Georgia and across the country. At the same time, these youth are increasingly getting swept up in the federal government's aggressive deportation dragnet, whether through Bush-era programs like 287(g) or the controversial "Secure Communities" fingerprint-sharing program, which has been expanded by President Obama and which New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo just decided to freeze.

This means communities across the country are having to fight one by one for these young students, like California DREAMer Ricardo Muñiz,whose dream is to build eco-friendly structures and be able to support his mother. According to a petition his friends at the California Dream Network started at Change.org:

Ricardo Muniz is a 22-year old student, environmentalist, community activist, teen mentor, DREAM promoter, son, and brother. He is originally from Michoacan, Mexico, and was brought over by his parents to the United States when he was seven years old. Ricardo is a student at Fullerton Jr. College and wants to go on to pursue a double major in international business and environmental economy.

Ricardo grew up in a tough neighborhood in Anaheim and overcame many challenges in his twenty-two years. Today, Ricardo is a mentor and an inspirational speaker who focuses on keeping troubled youth in school and off the streets. Not exactly the kind of "dangerous criminal" ICE and DHS have insisted they are spending precious taxpayer dollars finding and deporting. Despite the support of his community and teachers, Ricardo still faces a looming deportation date of June 9th.

According to United We Dream:

On Monday March 28, on Univision network’s Latino youth town hall, President Obama said that it wasn’t his responsibility to stop the deportation of DREAM Act youth. Less than a week ago, however, on the same television network, he said his administration was not deporting those youth at all.

DREAM activists and even twenty-two U.S. Senators argue that it's time for the Obama administration to stop targeting and deporting the very youth that candidate Obama said should be quickly put on a path to citizenship. As DREAMers and legal experts have been reminding him, Yes, Mr. President, You Can.

As we push for administrative action, please sign the petition for Ricardo -- we still have several days to stop his deportation.

Jackie is the Director of Organizing for Immigrant Rights at Change.org, where this piece is cross-posted.

This news was too wild not to share.

Chinese hackers have temporarily brought down Change.org, the social action platform where I now direct immigrant rights organizing. This, after more than 90,000 people in 175 countries signed a petition calling for the release of internationally acclaimed Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.

According to Mashable:

As an artist, Ai is best known for his role in the construction of the Bejing National Stadium for the 2008 Olympics and his Sunflower Seeds exhibit at the Tate Modern in 2010. He has also played a role in uncovering government corruption over the past few years, including, most notably, a scandal involving the construction of Sichuan schools that collapsed during the 2008 earthquake.

Ai was taken into custody by police at an airport in Bejing earlier this month.

The petition has attracted more than 90,000 signatures, including many from leading museums such as the Guggenheim, MoMA and Tate Modern, since it was posted last week.

A Change.org spokesperson says that the site has suffered intense DDoS attacks since Monday, sending it offline for periods of time. At the time of writing, Change.org was still offline.

“There’s no evidence that this has come from the Chinese government, but clearly the circumstantial evidence is pretty powerful,” the spokesperson says, noting that the for-profit organization has called on the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of East Asian Pacific Affairs for assistance.

Change.org CEO Ben Rattray has even asked the State Department to intervene, as reported by Tech President earlier today:

“We've notified the U.S. State Department of the situation and asked for their immediate assistance,” Rattray added. “Our engineers have been able to keep up the site during parts of the attack, but we've had some down time and without government assistance there are limits to what we can do.”

Change.org, a platform which allows anyone, anywhere to launch online social action campaigns, has been blocked in China at various points over the last few years.

While my teammates at Change.org continue to fend off these severe cyberattacks, more and more activists continue to sign the online petition in support of artist and political prisoner Ai Weiwei.

The silver lining, of course, is that these hackers' attacks will only end up drawing more attention to Ai Weiwei's unjust imprisonment.

Late yesterday evening, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced that the House will take up the American DREAM Act today -- Wednesday, December 8th. Here is a statement from Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice:

“The news that the House of Representatives will hold a vote on the DREAM Act on Wednesday is historic. The DREAM Act is supported by educators, the military, small business, organized labor, and religious leaders from across the spectrum. This is the most significant pro-immigrant legislation this chamber will have taken up in a decade. The young people who would benefit from the DREAM Act are patriotic high-achievers who just want a chance to become full citizens of the only country they call home.

“We applaud House Democratic leaders for scheduling a vote on this common sense, bipartisan, and fiscally responsible measure, and call on every Democrat and every Republican in the House to do the right thing. Pass this legislation so that young people who came to this country as babies and grew up as Americans can stabilize their lives and achieve their dreams. Pass this legislation so that our country can continue to benefit from their hard work and talent as they enroll in our universities and enlist in the Armed Forces.

“Tomorrow will be the moment of truth: do you stand with these youth, their hard work, and their dreams, or do you stand for a darker America that would shun them and reject their vital contributions to this country?”

Advocates have been calling their members of Congress all week, but they are being encouraged to make one final round of calls tomorrow: House: 866-967-6018; Senate: 866-996-5161.

For more on the politics and policy, watch Frank on MSNBC this afternoon (above), and check out our DREAM Act resources below the jump.

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This is truly sickening. Maricopa County's infamous Sheriff Joe Arpaio just sent this shocking message to his followers:

"STOP ILLEGALS FROM STEALING THE ELECTION! Our grassroots army of VOTER FRAUD PREVENTION VOLUNTEERS will stand vigilant across the nation. We will be the first and strongest line of defense to ensure that only legal citizens vote on November 2nd."

Bogus accusations of "illegal voters" crop up every election, and every election they are proven false.  What's truly frightening is that, this year, Arpaio is recruiting an "army" to block people from voting in the name of "fraud prevention."

However, you can send a message to the Justice Department demanding that they send election monitors to Arizona immediately.  These are the people who are supposed to protecting our right to vote, not suppressing it.

When you take action, you'll also get to download a new voter protection card (in English or Spanish) with a nationwide hotline to report problems on election day.

We're encouraging voters to bring it with them to the polls and do their part to protect one of our most cherished rights - unfortunately, we're hearing reports of Arpaio-like tactics in other parts of the country too.

How will Arpaio's "army" and others like them single out who to intimidate? Hair? Accent? Shoes? This is un-American.

As we've mentioned, Illinois' Senate candidates, Mark Kirk and Alexi Giannoulias, have taken very different positions on the DREAM Act.

Today, America’s Voice and Illinois Immigrant Action have teamed up to release a humorous new online video to encourage young Latinos in the state to vote in the toss-up US Senate election on November 2nd.  Latino voters could make the difference in this too-close-to-call race.  The video will be distributed to a wide range of online activists and youth, immigrant and Latino networks around the state.

Watch the video, spread the word, and sign the pledge to vote on Nov. 2nd!

(Warning: requires sense of humor)

Democratic State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias strongly supports the DREAM Act and comprehensive immigration reform.  Immigrant advocacy organizations had pressed Congressman Kirk, who voted for the notorious “Sensenbrenner bill” in 2005 that set off million-person marches in Chicago and other cities, to declare his position on the DREAM Act.  After intense questioning by Giannoulias and the debate moderator, Kirk said that the border should be closed and that he would not vote for the DREAM Act.

According to Illinois Immigrant Action's Executive Director, Lawrence Benito:

“The Latino community cares deeply about the DREAM Act. The senatorial race is very close and the immigrant vote can make the difference on Election Day. This video will help mobilize Latino youth to the polls by connecting this important issue with this growing, energetic and tech savvy constituency.”

Wow. Wow wow wow.

This tweet is just too much, given the undocumented labor scandal Lou Dobbs is now embroiled in:

Meg Whitman had an illegal immigrant maid for 9 yrs and fired her when she found out? She didn't try to help her get legal status? Not good 2:20 PM Sep 29th via web from Midtown Center, New York

Now, he may be right about Whitman, but talk about casting the first stone... Today Lou Dobbs becomes the latest uber-wealthy public figure to shamelessly flog the immigration issue while simultaneously benefiting from undocumented labor in his home (or rather, estate).

The Nation has a devastating report out today, the result of a year-long investigation, on Dobbs' use and abuse of undocumented workers. Five of Dobbs' workers stated that the ex-CNN anchor knew that they lacked papers but looked the other way as they tended his multi-million dollar estate.

Watch the take-down video:

The reporter, Isabel McDonald, spoke to one immigrant worker, who she identified as Marco Salinas:

An old friend of Salinas's worked as a groom with some of the horses owned by Dobbs, and he had sent word that Salinas could be hired on as a groom at the Vermont stable contracted to care for the Dobbs Group horses.

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California's Republican gubernatorial candidate, Meg Whitman, is getting hit from all sides today on immigration-- not just because of her flip-flopping on the topic, but because of the shocking allegations being brought forward by her nanny of nine years, Nicky Diaz Santillan.

At a press conference yesterday, the former housekeeper choked back tears as she described her treatment by Whitman:

Santillan said she asked Whitman for help in finding an immigration attorney in June 2009, and explained to her that she moved from Mexico because she had "no job, no food, no place to live, and for that reason we made a decision to move here."

Whitman terminated her not long after she made the appeal, Santillan said, telling her, "don't say anything to my children, I will tell them you already have a new job and that you want to go to school and from now on, you don't know me and I don't know you. You never have seen me, and I have never seen you. Do you understand me?

Whitman "treat me as if I was not a human being," Santillan added, suggesting the candidate was "throwing me away like a piece of garbage."

Now, SEIU has released ads that take Whitman on over both her immigration positions and the nanny scandal (in Spanish):

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Remember those fed-up farm workers who teamed up with Colbert to highlight the hypocrisy of nativist arguments?

Well, not only did they get Colbert to go out to the fields to harvest beans and corn, but they got him to testify before Congress!

In the latest development from the United Farm Workers' creative "Take Our Jobs" Campaign -- Stephen Colbert testifed before the House Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security:

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[H/t Heather

Via Huffington Post:

Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert is testifying before Congress today about immigration during a hearing called "Protecting America's Harvest."

Colbert is appearing with United Farm Workers (UFW) President Arturo S. Rodriguez before the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law. In August, the comedian spent a day working at a corn and vegetable farm in New York state after Rodriguez appeared on his show to discuss UFW's "Take Our Jobs" campaign.

The effort was intended to debunk the theory that undocumented immigrants are taking jobs away from American citizens and highlight the fact the nation's food supply is dependent on these farm workers.

Last night Colbert aired part two of a series called "Fallback Position," where he attempted to take a migrant farmworker job himself.

Watch it and sign UFW's AgJobs letter to Congress to protect our nation's food security:

[Go show Colbert some love at the WaPo's online poll.]

The U.S. Department of Justice is now being forced to sue Maricopa County, AZ Sheriff Joe Arpaio to compel him to turn over documents needed for the federal government’s civil rights investigation.

Turns out Arizona's "show me your papers" poster boy doesn't like having to produce his. Arpaio has denied investigators access to key documents for over a year and a half.

In light of the news, here's a little background reading on Sheriff Joe.

Arpaio's Record: Higher Crime, Wasted Money, Squandered Trust

America’s Voice Education Fund’s latest report on Sheriff Joe’s record reveals that his high-profile tactics have actually led to higher crime rates, nearly 3,000 lawsuits, millions of wasted taxpayer dollars, and a degradation of the community policing strategies that law enforcement agencies have developed to keep us safe. 

What's more, violent crime is down across the state of Arizona --except in Sheriff Arpaio's Maricopa County. From 2002 to 2009, while the violent crime rate across the state as a whole plummeted by 12 percent, Arpaio's jurisdiction suffered a 58 percent surge in violent crime. The numbers speak for themselves:

As a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation by the East Valley Tribune found:

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In case you missed it, the DREAM Now letter series launched this week, with a letter from DREAM Act student Mohammad Abdollahi. The first featured letter-writer, Mohammad, helped to organize this week's DREAM mobilization in DC, which consisted of lobby visits, a "mock graduation," and student-led rallies. The mobilization took a controversial turn yesterday, as 21 young people engaged in civil disobedience in the nation's capitol to highlight the urgency they feel for moving the legislation -- the youth risked deportation because of their immigration status.  

Today, Senator Reid was quoted on his desire to move forward on the DREAM Act, with comprehensive reform stalled, but much work remains to ensure DREAM passes.

The DREAM Now letters to follow each week, from undocumented young people who feel they must tell their stories, will be used to call attention to the urgent need to pass the DREAM Act without further delay. Please get involved by posting the letters on your blog, your facebook or twitter profiles, or wherever you can. Together we can make the DREAM Act a reality for the million or more young people whose lives are now on hold, waiting for this critical legislation -- a stepping stone to full immigration reform that 70% of Americans support.

Today's DREAM Now Letter is from Yahaira Carrillo:

President Barack H. Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

My name is Yahaira Carrillo and I'm undocumented.  As I write this, over 20 undocumented youth are risking arrest and deportation to demand that Congress take action for the DREAM Act.  Just over two months ago, I, along with two others, became one of the first undocumented immigrants in U.S. history to do the same.  Like Mohammad Abdollahi, who wrote you a letter on Monday, I too am queer.  I risk being deported to a machista country, Mexico, where killings related to homophobia are rising.

I was born in 1985 to a barely-turned 16 year-old who had been kicked out of her house while she was pregnant for being a disgrace to the family. I lived with my mother in an abandoned house in Guerrero, Mexico. She struggled to find work, but was either harassed or asked for sexual favors. She said no. She was 17 in 1986 when the 8.1 magnitude earthquake hit Mexico. She decided to take me to the U.S., but we didn't stay that long. At my grandmother's request, we returned to Mexico. The hits kept coming: my mother ended an abusive relationship with a military man and feared for her life.

Then, my father called- after abandoning my mother while she was pregnant and being MIA for most of my early years, decided he wanted us to join him in California. My options have always been limited. I was 8 years old when I came to the U.S. When I was 14, my 18-year-old boyfriend wanted to marry me. I said no. When I graduated from the top of my high school class, I thought I couldn't go anywhere. My parents were migrant farm workers- college wasn't likely. But years later, I found a private college in Kansas that would accept me. I worked myself to the bone, and obtained an Associate's Degree. Today, I am working towards my Bachelor's degree. According to my calculations, it will take me eight years.

I've had people tell me that it's not a big deal, that I should keep on waiting for the DREAM Act to pass. My life has been on pause, rewind or replay for years. Waiting is not an option. That is why undocumented youth like myself are risking everything, right now, to pass the DREAM Act, this year. If we're putting our lives on the line for this, Mr. President, the least you can do is call members of Congress and ask them to do the same.

It started with 3 undocumented youth sitting in John McCain's office, and it has escalated to 20. How many more will it take before Congress passes the DREAM Act?

Sincerely,
Yahaira Carrillo

These letters are cross-posted from Citizen Orange to America's Voice, Blue Mass. Group, Docudharma, Daily Kos, Open Left, Firedoglake, and Breakthrough's B-Listed blog. Contact Kyle de Beausset at kyle at citizenorange dot com to begin cross-posting at your blog or website.