Lucy, a DREAMer from Oak Cliff, applied for documentation through DACA.
In conjunction with President Obama’s executive order allowing DREAMers to apply for work documents, the National Center for Lesbian Rights set up a fund to help people pay the application fees for LGBT applicants.
“These young people are an important part of the LGBT community, and we knew we had to find a way to give them a hand,” said NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell. “We are thrilled that so many LGBT organizations across the nation stepped up to help.”
The fee is $465, which can be an obstacle to DREAMers and their parents who have not been able to obtain work legally. In September, we wrote about one DREAMer from Oak Cliff, Lucy, who applied for her documentation the first day she was eligible.
DREAMers are defined in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals as those who arrived in this country with their parents under the age of 16, have lived here continuously for at least the past two years and are under the ago of 31.
About four dozen LGBT organizations across the country have contributed more than $100,000 to the fund that is being administered by Liberty Hill. About 160 people have already gotten documentation with help from the fund and there’s enough money to help at least 40 more. DREAMers may apply for assistance here.
DACA is especially helpful to LGBT DREAMers who have no other way to obtain documentation. Straight DREAMers often obtain a green card and a path to citizenship by marrying an American citizen, something not available to LGBT DREAMers even in states with marriage equality.
