CCR team member, Dr. Rebecca Ford-Paz, and other Illinois psychologists talk with NPR about how the uncertain future of the DACA program contributes to mental health issues of youth and families affected by the rescission.
You Are Not Alone: Supporting Dreamers and Families of Undocumented Status
On January 24th, 2017, CCR hosted a live Facebook event addressing the potential repeal of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), including a Q&A session with a panel of experts. Mental health and legal resources were discussed and included in the presentation. Watch the presentation and download the PowerPoint presentation on our YNA resources page.
We encourage people to reach out to affected youth and families and let them know they are not alone and that there is still a movement to safeguard their rights. In addition, for undocumented youth at this time, it is important to validate their concerns, noting that threats made to immigrant rights are serious, and to refrain from making promises we cannot guarantee. However, we want to remind them of the slow speed of political processes, the debate and discourse that will ensue with political and community groups championing immigrant rights, and the uncertainty about how repealing an executive order will translate into actual enforcement of immigration policies.
CCR Particpates in Press Conference with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel
On Monday, November 14th, 2016, CCR team members participated in a press conference held at Lurie Children's to address the growing concerns among youth feeling marginalized and despondent post-election. In addition to disseminating resources for youth in crisis, Mayor Rahm Emanuel assured the crowd that Chicago would always remain a "sanctuary city." Watch here