ROBERT MENENDEZ Savana, Hove, AND Unaas nose bows United States Senate mete WASHINGTON, DC 20510-3005 Fontan RewaTons July 24, 2009 The Honorable John T. Morton Assistant Secretary United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement U.S. Department of Homeland Security 500 12" Street, SW Washington DC 20536 Dear Assistant Secretary Morton: ‘Your efforts to ensure that our laws are enforced in a manner that guarantees the security and safety of the United States are of the utmost importance. It is equally important that while we pursue a lasting solution to our broken immigration system, our government uses its enforcement resources wisely. As we work together to achieve comprehensive immigration reform, urge you to use the prosecutorial discretion that is available to you, as well as the ability to grant deferred action in cases where deportation or detention is clearly not in the community's interest. Immigration and Customs Enforcement often encounters citizens and residents of New Jersey who would qualify for immigration benefits under legislation such as the Dream Act or comprehensive legislation that we plan to pursue later this year. I urge you to use your discretionary authority to grant deferred action in such cases, where an individual inas exceptionally strong ties to the community, has no other home to retum to, has no criminal record and cases that clearly merit humanitarian consideration. For example, I recently became aware of the case of a young man who has lived in this country since he was brought here by his parents from Bangladesh when he was just two years old. Taha Mowla (A073-664-914) grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, where he ‘went to Dickenson High School and played on the school football team. Earlier this year he graduated from Dickenson with good grades and many awards. He has enrolled in St. Peter's College in Jersey City for the fall semester, and plans to study marketing and pre- ‘med, with dreams of one day becoming a pediatrician. He is an upstanding member of the community and has no criminal record. ‘Taha is currently under an order of supervision that requires him to appear at the local ICE office by this Friday with his ticket for departure. In compliance with that requirement, Taha has purchased a ticket to Bangladesh on July 29 that he will be forcedto use unless relief is granted. As you know, Bangladesh is a developing nation with medical and educational systems that are far poorer than those of the United States. Taha doesn’t read or write Bengali, and does not even know its alphabet. ‘Taha’s story represents compelling evidence of the need for Congress to pass the comprehensive immigration reform including the DREAM Act, legislation I have co- sponsored that would provide young people like Taha, who have grown up in the US., with a mechanism to remain and fully contribute to the nation that is now their home. As President Obama has said in support of the DREAM Act, “these students are now children of the United States.” Taha is the kind of person that the DREAM Act is, intended to help. He was brought here at a young age, stayed in school, has never been in trouble with the law, and is of good moral character. Our nation benefits more by his presence than by his absence. While efforts to pass comprehensive immigration reform and the DREAM Act continue, ask that you defer action on Taha’s deportation and other similar cases. These students have eared the chance to live, continue their education, and work here. I look forward to your response Sincerely, Robert Menende!