Half Birthday Cakes to be Given to Politicians in 12 Cities

Events Mark Anniversary of DREAM Executive Order (DACA)

But Helping Immigrants is "Just Half Done," Advocates Say

Contact: Jesusa Rivera, 574-340-6959; Laura Barrett, 314-443-5915, lbarrett@gamaliel.org, Rev. Cynthia Jarrold, 913-219-3198, cjarrold@gamaliel.org; Ana Garcia-Ashley, 414-708-3777, ana@gamaliel.org

MEDIA ADVISORY, Aug. 15, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- Singing 'Happy Birthday' in English and in Spanish, immigrants, pastors and 'DREAMers' will deliver a semi-circular half of a cake to 17 district offices of congressional representatives on the one year anniversary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), stressing that the job of immigration reform remains unfinished.

When: Thursday August 15th, on the one year anniversary of DACA implementation

Who: Hundreds of undocumented immigrants, pastors, labor leaders, immigrant advocates, DREAMers and local politicians (roughly 5-25 at each location)

Where: In the district offices of 17 US House members in 12 cities in 10 states (HI, CA, MN, MO, KS, WI, IL, MI, IN, and PA)

Details: Last August, President Obama signed the DREAM executive order which allows people born elsewhere and brought to the US as children to apply for citizenship. On August 15, 2012, federal officials began accepting applications from DREAMers.

But the DREAM order leaves the mothers and fathers of DREAMers - childhood arrivals - in limbo and in danger of deportation. Advocates believe that comprehensive immigration legislation is still needed.

Gamaliel and other immigration advocates are urging that Congress pass the Senate version of an immigration reform bill (S. 744, sponsored by Sen. Charles E. Schumer D-NY). They believe that the bill will unite new citizen DREAMers with their families who are still facing the threat of deportation.

Gamaliel (Gamaliel.org) is a grassroots network of non-partisan, faith-based organizations in 17 U.S. states, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Gamaliel organizes to empower ordinary people to effectively participate in the political, environmental, social and economic decisions affecting their lives. Gamaliel's diverse members apply their faith and values to the pursuit of equal opportunity for all, shared abundance, and stronger, more prosperous communities.

Events will take place in the following cities: Minneapolis, MN, Janesville and Oshkosh, WI, Kansas City and St. Louis, MO, Kansas City, KS, Chicago, IL, Mishawaka, IN, Kalamazoo, MI, Honolulu, HI, Pittsburgh, PA, Santa Rosa, CA.