UPDATE: A new video:
Jorge-Alonso Chehade came to the U.S. from Peru as a child and is now facing deportation next Friday, September 25. He and a friend accidentally crossed the Canadian border while trying not to violate traffic laws, a March 2009 incident which, ironically, led to his arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and sadly, his pending deportation.
Watch Alonso's call to action:
Jorge-Alonso Chehade graduated from High School with honors, attended community college and worked hard enough to transfer to a top-tier university, where he received a degree in Business Administration from the prestigious Michael G. Foster School of Business at the University of Washington. He is quite literally the embodiment of the American Dream, but our broken immigration system has prevented him from continuing down his career path after graduation. His story is part of a broader narrative of the challenges faced by immigrant students who have grown up in the U.S. and embraced American ideals, but are unable to fully contribute to our country because current immigration law does not provide a mechanism for them to do so.
On his Facebook Support Group, Alonso writes:
I am very grateful to the many opportunities that America has offered me and I am ready to give back. This is why I would like to stay in the country, work, pay taxes, and bring change by joining all national efforts in support of the DREAM Act.
Alonso has earned the chance to live and work here and call America home--and ICE needs to hear from us that he should be allowed to stay. The goal is to get at least 3,000 signatures--we currently have around 2,500. Sign onto U.S. Senators Patty Murry and Maria Cantwell's letter to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Alonso's behalf, requesting that they defer action on his deportation.
We've been successful with Walter Lara and Taha Mowla, now let's do all we can for Jorge Alonso! Please let your friends and family know how they can sign the petition on his behalf too: http://action.seiu.org/page/invite/invitejorgeltr. Later this week, Alonso will deliver the signed petitions in person to ICE.
Twitter & Facebook Support: Support the DREAM Act & allowing Alonso to stay in America on Twitter by posting this message: Another #dreamact student in trouble - STOP @jache0220 Deportation. Co-sign Senators' letters and RT http://t.seiu.org/zr8bqw #alonsochehade. Join his Support Group on Facebook here, where regular updates are being posted.
