Conexion Americas and TIRRC (Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition) are taking action this Friday to defend recipients of Obama’s unilateral 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program who are euphemistically referred to as “dreamers.” After the “Dream Act” failed in 2010, the Obama administration used an administrative bypass of Congress to execute unilateral executive amnesty in the form of the DACA program.
On Friday, Conexion Americas, a Nashville Latino advocacy organization and recipient of a $250,000 donation from Randy and Jenny Boyd, is offering a popsicle to anyone who stops by and sends a postcard to Tennessee’s D.C. legislators requesting support for the newest “Dream Act.” Recently introduced by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democrat Dick Durbin, the bill provides even greater protection for the DACA eligible by offering a path to citizenship.
Boyd is one of five announced candidates for the Republican nomination for governor of Tennessee.
Conexion is taking a subtle approach to undermine the rule of law and preserve an unconstitutional action by the Obama administration, whereas TIRRC’s approach is more direct – they are asking Tennessee teachers to take their politics into the classroom.
TIRRC’s Friday “Educator Day of Action” in defense of DACA asks teachers to do the following:
- contact Sens. Alexander and Corker and ask them to support the new “Dream Act”
- Post a selfie and tag our targets
– @SenBobCorker
– @SenAlexander
– @TNattygen
– cc: @BillHaslam
Hashtags: #Teacher4DACA | #Educator4DACA | #DefendDACA | #DreamAct - share TIRRC’s “Defend DACA Campaign Toolkit” with their students
In 2015, a lawsuit was filed by 26 states, including Tennessee, challenging the Obama administration’s expansion of the DACA program and the newly proposed DAPA (Deferred Action for Parents of Americans) program which would have also provided amnesty-styled work authorization and lawful presence to almost four million illegal aliens.
A federal judge enjoined the program, holding that there was no statutory authority for the executive branch to unilaterally confer lawful presence and work authorization on illegal aliens. In June, the Secretary of Homeland Security revoked these two programs.
The original 2012 DACA program, however, remains in effect.
Eleven state Attorneys General, including Tennessee’s, subsequently notified Attorney General Jeff Sessions that they will sue if the remaining DACA program, also established through unilateral executive branch action, is not ended as well. They have also requested that no new work permits or renewals be issued.
Renata Soto, the founder and executive director of Conexion Americas is an anti-Trump Indivisible organizer and was named Chairman of the board of the National Council of La Raza the year before Boyd made his quarter of a million dollar donation to her organization. Soto is also a board member of Boyd’s education non-profit Complete Tennessee.
Boyd is a named member of the New American Economy organization which is also working to protect the DACA program.
Sounds like Mr. Boyd should relocate to the left coast.
I lived in Texas for 30 years and watched it change from a friendly cow town into a multicultural quagmire such as the one Mayor Berry and Mr. Boyd promote. It is not pretty to watch the process. And it is a dangerous (literally) outcome.
Idiot. Randy, You got to find out more about who you give money to. You will not get our votes that’s for sure.
Buying political support for a popsicle. Sounds like a banana republic tactic. Wonder what they give out for votes?