Families At Risk Of Deportation Invite Presidential Candidates To Dinner

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...O'Malley thus far the only candidate to accept the dinner invitation

____America's Voice, United We Dream and the Center for Community Change Action/Fair Immigration Reform Movement have invited every presidential candidate -- Republican and Democrat -- to have dinner with a family that stands to benefit from President Barack Obama's program that would grant work permits to some parents of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents.

In a letter to candidates shared with The Huffington Post, the organizers said they want the presidential hopefuls to "see for yourself how they are just like other American families." They're willing to do the dinners any time that's convenient and in any state -- a move that makes it harder for candidates to use scheduling conflicts as an excuse.

"With 2016 politics there's been a lot written about what each of the candidates would do for our families -- or against them, if you're looking at the Republican stage," said Greisa Martinez of United We Dream. "It's important for that conversation to not only be had in the broad theoretical aspect but also to be had with the people that this would directly affect."

The program that the dinners are meant to highlight is Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents, or DAPA. When it comes to influencing the presidential candidates, protecting DAPA and a similar program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals -- Obama's two biggest immigration executive actions -- is particularly vital, since the next president will have the power to stop the policies or prevent them from going into effect...

O'Malley is thus far the only candidate to accept the dinner invitation, according to organizers, although they are talking to the Clinton and Sanders campaigns as well.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/immigration-presidential-candidates_56421095e4b0b24aee4bd190

[FSogol]

1. K & R. n/t

[Luminous Animal]

2. Both O'Malley and Sanders are on board with DAPA. I'm not sure where Clinton stands.

[elleng]

3. 'O'Malley thus far the only candidate to accept the dinner invitation'