Without substantial intervention, Jorge-Alonso Chehade will face a difficult choice Friday morning. He will either get on a plane to Peru, a country that has become foreign to him, or he will choose to remain in the US to fight for the passage of the Dream Act and other young adults like him. Alonso is a Dream Activist – one of tens of thousands of young adults who came to the US as young children who undocumented. He has been courageously fighting is deportation, and time is up Friday morning.  DHS is forcing him to leave the United States, a country that has been his home for more than 8 years.

I just got home from a Dream Activist PA meeting at Temple U. More than 10 students came together to learn about the Dream Act and how they can make a difference in the lives of students like Alonso. Two Dreamers attended, as well as Reagan Cooper of PICC (Pennsylvania Immigration & Citizenship Coalition). This  meeting served as a great initial brainstorming session on how to grow the capacity of the PA movement – how to cultivate members, forge partnerships with community organizations, and gain the support of our local representatives across the state.

For extensive coverage of Alonso’s case and other Dream Activists, check out Citizen Orange!