The following video is happening LIVE on Friday afternoon from Senator Chuck Schumer’s office.
An earlier video was posted by the Facebook profile of immigrant rights activist Erika Andiola.
Here is what Andiola’s post said:
HAPPENING NOW: We are here at Democratic Leader Schumer’s office to demand that he publicly commit to. We are sitting in until he publicly confirms that he has the votes to block any spending bill that does not include a clean Dream Act. If arrested, DACA recipients will refuse to identify ourselves and attempt to remain in jail until our demand is met.
#NoDreamNoDeal #OurDream #JailStrike
Organizers have published a media release about the action, which they say is a jail strike. The original release listed seven DACA participants, but the Andiola’s Facebook live says it is only four people. (Andiola and Belén Sisa are two of the activists in the Schumer sit-in. One of the participants is declaring a hunger strike.)
TODAY: DACA Recipients to Risk Arrest, Hold Jail Strike, and Demand Congressional Leaders Pledge #NoDreamNoDeal on Federal Spending Measures
Dreamers plan to withhold identifiable information from police and force detention, risking contact with immigration authorities and deportation, until Congressional leaders pass a clean DREAM Act.
Washington, D.C. – Seven DACA recipients will risk arrest in the offices of Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Representative Carlos Curbelo, demanding that they, along with other Members of Congress who previously expressed support for Dreamers, live up to their word. The DACA recipients are demanding that Members of Congress block any spending bill that does not include a clean DREAM Act. Dreamers will follow this action with a jail strike, withholding identifiable information from police, forcing detention and risking deportation until their demand is met.
On December 7th, Congress passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) that extended funding for the federal government until December 22nd. The CR did not include the DREAM Act – making it effectively a vote to deport Dreamers. However, powerful momentum is building. Hundreds of people have been fighting for #OurDream, organizing throughout the country and holding more than 30 sit-ins and rallies over the past two weeks showing widespread support for passage of a clean DREAM Act on December 22nd.
“Democratic leadership and Republicans who claimed to support Dreamers have a choice,” said Erika Andiola. “They either fight to secure the votes needed to block any spending bill that doesn’t include a clean DREAM Act, or they chose to keep us in jail at risk of deportation.”
WHO: Erika Andiola (DACA recipient), Belén Sisa (DACA recipient), Hector Jairo Martinez (DACA recipient), Cata Santiago (DACA recipient), Barbara Hernandez (DACA recipient), Li Adorno (DACA recipient), Juan Carlos Carabantes (DACA recipient), Jeffery Fuentes.
WHAT: DACA recipients and allies will risk arrest at Congressional offices and will remain in jail until Democratic leadership and Republicans who support Dreamers pledge #NoDreamNoDeal on federal spending measures.
WHEN: Friday, December 15, 2017 at 3:30 p.m. EST
WHERE: Capitol Hill (Exact location to be announced).
“Some say that we can wait to pass legislation that would provide permanent protection until the March deadline, but every day the Dream Act does not pass, undocumented youth are at risk of detention and deportation. We are not just losing our DACA, we are at risk of losing our families, our jobs, and the only place we have ever called home. So we are choosing to make this deep sacrifice and risk detention and deportation now as a call to action to the nation and all who believe that we belong in this country: we need the Dream Act now! And we need all who support us to do whatever it takes and use whatever power they have to secure it,” said Cata Santiago, who will participate in the jail strike.
The #OurDream campaign is a coalition effort led by undocumented youth that includes: The Seed Project, Our Revolution, Youth Caucus of America, Democracy Spring, Progressive Democrats of America, Justice Democrats, Presente.org, Good Jobs Nation, Millennials for Revolution, Undocumented, Students for Education Equity, Democratic Socialist of America (NYC), The People’s Consortium for Economic and Human Rights, Inc., Working Families Party, People for Bernie, Women’s March, Common, Defense PAC/Vets Against Hate, Action Group Network, Million Hoodies
While this action was happening, another action with three DACA recipients was happening at the congressional office of Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R):
