September 13, 2012

The Honorable Jerry Brown Governor of the State of California c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173 Sacramento, CA 95814

Re. Governor Brown: Sign the TRUST Act! Don't sign a symbolic driver’s license bill.

On behalf of Dreamers in the state of California, we write this letter in opposition to Assemblyman ......Cedillo’s symbolic driver’s license bill, AB 2189, and we urge you to sign the TRUST Act, Assemblyman Ammiano’s AB 1081, now.

As the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy is implemented across the nation, Dreamers will receive relief by applying for work authorization. This will result in the issuance of a Social Security Number that will make us eligible to earn driver’s licenses in California and other states across the country. Even before DACA was a reality, we knew that California’s Department of Motor Vehicles has provided driver’s licenses to individuals whose deportation cases have been deferred and received a Social Security Number. We also see it counterproductive to protecting all immigrants in the State of California, to exclude every immigrant that is not a DACA beneficiary from having the opportunity to acquire a driver’s license in California. If the opportunity lies in California’s state leaders to give the opportunity to keep our roads safer and give the opportunity to some of the most hard working members of our society, then it should be for all immigrants in the state.

We take a clear stance and want to firmly urge you to sign the TRUST Act which would help ensure our families’ safety and keep us all united. This bill will rebuild the trust that S-Comm has undermined between immigrant communities and local police by establishing statewide standards for responding to burdensome ICE hold requests. Specifically, the bill sets a reasonable statewide standard for local governments to not submit to ICE’s request to detain an individual unless the individual has a serious or violent felony conviction, or the individual is charged by a district attorney with a serious or violent felony. We believe that these guidelines are crucial to keeping our families united and keeping this state integral. As we obtain temporary relief across the country, we believe it is time for our parents, our older siblings and all our friends who do not qualify for Deferred Action to receive some relief. Signing the TRUST Act will bring such relief.

Governor Brown, we believe that both you and us have the opportunity in this moment to stand in the right side of history and continue to be leaders in this new Civil Rights struggle for Immigrant Rights across the country. We urge you, as the undocumented immigrant youth movement in California, to sign the TRUST Act now!

Sincerely,
California Dream Team Alliance
Asian Students Promoting Immigrant Rights through Education
Central Coast Dream Team
Central Valley Dream Team
Dream Alliance of Sonoma County
Dream Team Los Angeles
Inland Empire – Immigrant Youth Coalition
Los Angeles – Immigrant Youth Coalition
Napa Valley Dream Team
Orange County Dream Team
San Diego Dream Team
San Fernando Valley Dream Team
San Francisco – Immigrant Youth Coalition
San Gabriel Valley – Immigrant Youth Coalition