WHAT: On Saturday, August 19th, immigrant youth and allies will dress in white t-shirts and march from The Civil Rights Museum to Handy Park on Beale Street in support of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which is being threatened to be taken away from over 8,300 youth in Tennessee, putting them at the risk of deportation.
DACA is a form of administrative relief that allows eligible immigrant youth to receive a renewable two-year work permit and to be exempt from deportation while they have DACA. Without DACA, more than 800,000 young adults across the country would be unable to fully participate in their communities and positively contribute to the economy. Tennessee’s Herbert Slatery, and nine other extremist attorneys general, are threatening President Trump into ending DACA, which would put over 8,300 youth in Tennessee at risk of deportation. To offer permanent protections to DACA recipients, a bipartisan group of Senators filed the Dream Act of 2017, which would provide more permanent protection and a pathway to citizenship for many undocumented youth. We will march against the removal of DACA and the implementation of the Dream Act of 2017. The march, which aims at bringing awareness to the threat, starts at 5 p.m. and ends at 7 p.m.
“Taking away DACA means taking away the dream of a better future for thousands of young individuals across Tennessee. Coming to this march is not only showing your support for immigrant youth but for the future of the country we all call home,” says Gina John, advocacy coordinator at Latino Memphis.
Throughout August Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) has mobilized a massive movement of DACA recipients as well as thousands of our teachers, employers, friends and neighbors that support DACA. August 19th is the Statewide Day of Action and marches are being planned in cities across the state including Nashville, Chattanooga and Memphis.
WHO: Latino Memphis in collaboration with TIRRC, José Salazar, Memphis Intercultural Coalition (MIC), Coalition of Concerned Citizens (C3)
WHEN: Saturday, August 19, 2017 at 5:00 p.m.
WHERE: National Civil Rights Museum, 450 Mulberry St, Memphis, TN 38103 and march to Handy Park on Beale Street
VISUALS: Immigrant youth and allies marching with banners, posters and graduation attire.
ON-SITE MEDIA CONTACT: Gina John, Advocacy Coordinator, Latino Memphis 901.366.5882 x 126 or gina@latinomemphis.org
