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FL State Senator Jose Javier Rodriguez Reaffirms Support for DACA and Dreamers

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America’s Voice Dreamer Dinners campaign continues to highlight the broad support that exists for keeping Dreamers shielded from Donald Trump’s Deportation Force.

The first Dreamer Dinner took place in Columbus, Ohio last week, where Councilwoman Liz Brown joined over eight Dreamers for a meal and discussion on why the DACA program is so important for them. Yesterday, Dreamer Dinners arrived in Florida, with FL State Senator Jose Javier Rodriguez breaking bread with Dreamers and their allies to reaffirm his support for the DACA program and commitment to protecting them.

Among the Dreamer in attendance were Monica Lazaro and Ariel Rojas, two college graduates who have benefited greatly from the DACA program. Monica obtained a degree in Biology from the Florida International University, currently, works as an Associate at the Nova College of Osteopathic Medicine, volunteers with the FIU Epidemiology Department, where she assists with data collection and will be a co-authoring a paper on Latino incarceration. Ariel Rojas was able to obtain a Psychology thanks to the DACA program and currently advocates for immigrant rights with the organization Students Working for Equal Rights (S.W.E.R).

Senator Rodriguez said, “Yesterday, I had the opportunity to listen the stories of three young and hopeful DREAMERS in my district. Their stories reflect everything they have accomplished, but also show the fear of losing what they have. DREAMERS are an essential part of our community, they are our neighbors, our friends, our family. They work hard, study everyday and serve our country, because they call this country their home. This keeps reaffirming me that we need to protect them. Today in the 5th Anniversary of DACA, I feel more encouraged to keep the fight for them and defend the future of every DREAMER in our country.”

As the Trump Administration continues to consider whether or not to terminate the DACA program, a move that would strip close to 800,000 young immigrants from their driver’s licenses, work permits, and temporary protection from deportation, Dreamers, and their allies remain committed to fight tooth and nail to keep the DACA program in place.

More Dreamer Dinners are scheduled in the upcoming days! So please check back often to meet the Dreamers and elected officials fighting to #DefendDACA.

If you’d like to help DACA by hosting a Dreamer Dinner in your community, click here.

View some of the pictures from our Dreamer Dinner with FL Senator Jose Javier Rodriguez below, and click here to watch a short video recap of the event: