News & Updates

Day 18: Washington DC - SUPREME COURT

Today, we completed our March for DACA & TPS by marching from the First Trinity Lutheran Church hostel, where many of us were staying, with Black Panther and The Good Place actor Bambadjan Bamba, who is also a DACA-recipient!!! We kicked off the Home Is Here rally at the Supreme Court with our Korean drumming and chants and speeches from some of our marchers from NAKASEC and Make the Road New York. We also heard from leaders from other March partners including CHIRLA and CASA. Here is video from the day! Meanwhile some of our impacted leaders were inside the Supreme Court listening to the oral arguments and bringing our energy and spirits in front of the justices, so they could see and feel our humanity.  Our Marchers also spoke at events with faith leaders, Members of Congress and the media. In the evening, our core marchers gathered for dinner together to celebrate the completion of this journey and commit to continuing to work together in the coming days. We have built a strong community and family during the last 18 days, and as many of us have said, it is an experience that has changed our lives. As we tearfully departed from one another, we committed to continue building movement together and a marcher reunion in the near future!

Dreamers hold their breath as Supreme Court takes up future of 800,000 (NBC NEWS)

Nov. 12, 2019
By Gwen Aviles

"When I talk to my kids or other people in the future about this, I want to be able to say that I did everything I could," a Georgetown student with DACA status says.

… Another group attending the rally is the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), which recently helped lead a 230-mile march to the Supreme Court from New York City in support of DACA, with Home is Here, a coalition of other immigrant advocacy organizations.

Read full article here.

Day 17: Washington DC

Today, we rested our bodies and feet, and attended “Stories Beyond Border,” a film screening hosted by NAKASEC VA. The screening showcased a series of short immigrant justice documentaries- one that was made about NAKASEC’s Journey to Justice Bike Tour for #Citizenship4All in 2018! Many of those “Dream Riders” just completed the March for DACA & TPS! After the screening, we made posters for the big rally. We are excited for the Supreme Court to hear our voices loud and clear tomorrow! See this new video about what is at stake for us!

Day 16: Hyattsville, MD to Washington DC

WE MADE IT! We were 200+ strong as we left CASA, where we had a service supported by Reverend Sharon Stanley of the Disciples of Christ, and then headed to DC. With this many people everything took longer- crossing intersections, bathroom breaks, but everyone’s spirits were high as we chanted and sang together with our eyes towards DC! We arrived at the steps of the Supreme Court by 4pm, where NAKASEC VA greeted us with Korean drumming and had prepared a rally for us. Many of us burst into tears as we passed the line sitters, who are holding spots for impacted community  members to be able to get into the opening hearing on Tuesday, and crossed the “finish line” made of streamers. The significance of what we had accomplished hit us, and it was wonderful to be greeted by a cheering crowd! Marchers from NAKASEC, Make The Road New York, CHIRLA, Enlace, Florida, and the student group from Memphis, Tennessee, shared their feelings about the march, and how we had been successful in uplifting the importance of defending DACA & TPS while keeping our eyes on the prize of citizenship for all! View our live feed here. are excited to rest a little tomorrow and prepare for the 12th!

Why these people are walking 230 miles to the Supreme Court (CNN)

November 10, 2019
By Catherine E. Shoichet

Fernández has blisters on her feet and her legs ache. She's been walking for nearly two weeks.

By the time she finishes this journey, she will have trekked 230 miles.

Her destination: the US Supreme Court, where justices will hear arguments Tuesday that could decide her fate and shape the lives of hundreds of thousands of people across the United States.

Fernández, 31, is one of the plaintiffs suing the government over the Trump administration's decision to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.

Read the full article here.

Day 15: maryland - Baltimore to Hyattsville

Today we left Sacred Heart Church in Baltimore after folx from Brown Memorial so kindly delivered us breakfast! It was our first day marching with over 100 people, and the added energy from all of us marching together was amazing! Even though we had a significant increase in the number of marchers, our marshalls did an excellent job keeping everyone safe. Lunch was donated by the Center for Popular Democracy (quesadillas and burritos- sooo good!) and folx from Indivisible greeted us at a rest stop with hot chocolate and donuts for a snack, which was much appreciated given the falling temperatures. When we arrived in Hyattsville, we had another great dinner with CASA, who along with the University Christian Church gave us a place to stay. We are extremely excited to March to DC with everyone tomorrow! Watch Eliana’s story here to see why she joined as a plaintiff in the case to defend DACA at SCOTUS.

Day 14: Baltimore

Over the day starting around midnight, we were joined by Marchers from around the country including Virginia, Texas, California, New York, Tennessee, Florida, Illinois and other states and our number swelled to 93! The new folx have brought great energy and excitement to the March as we look to complete the final days. CASA, Centro Del Los Derechos Del Migrante and other groups held a rally for us in front of the Baltimore City Hall at which we were greeted by Baltimore Mayor Bernard “Jack” Young, U.S. Senator Cardin and state legislators and city council members. Watch the video here. They and other community leaders from Baltimore made sure we knew that Baltimore is a city that welcomes and celebrates immigrants! A few of our Marchers including Jung Woo from NAKASEC, Eliana from Make the Road New York, and Carolina from CHIRLA shared their experience on the March so far and why they are marching 18 days here! After the rally we marched and chanted together and formed a circle where we could feel the power of our growing movement. Thank you Baltimore for the wonderful reception!

Day 13: maryland - White Marsh to Baltimore

The March was rough today as the entire route was on the highway, and it can be challenging to navigate highway entrance ramps and major intersections. Luckily our Marshalls are pros now and kept us all safe. We couldn’t believe it when we started to see the tall buildings of downtown Baltimore, the city that used to be the second largest entry port for immigrants. A Washington Post reporter me met us as we arrived and we look forward to seeing the story! After settling our sleeping bags and luggage into the Christian Temple where we stayed the night, we went to Loyola University where we were hosted by Centro De Los Derechos Del Migrante, CASA, First Unitarian Church, Jews United for Justice, SOMOS, Brown, where we were warmly welcomed by local performers, and over 100 community leaders! Being in community with these folx made us forget our tired feet! We have now completed 216 miles of our 230 miles!

Day 12: Maryland - Aberdeen to White Marsh

We marched out of 287g territory today with great relief! At one point there was a very angry driver following us, yelling and pointing his finger- we are pretty certain he called the police.  We were stopped by a few police on the way, but made it out with no issues. We continued to drum, sing and chant in English, Spanish and Korean, celebrating the diversity that enriches this country.  As the universe would have it, the restaurant right next to our lodging where we ate dinner was owned by a Nepali TPS holder!! When he found out we were coming, he came to the restaurant to introduce himself and share about his story and that he had recently participated in a rally of 200 TPS recipients. The food was DELICIOUS and he gave us a very generous discount! A local community member came to the hotel and brought us supplies and cookies. Today’s video features one of our brave Marshalls and a CHIRLA leader, Christian!

Day 11: MARYLAND - Northeast to Aberdeen

Today was intense as we had to march mainly on a large highway, with cars and big trucks whizzing by. The local and state police approached us and were interviewing the construction workers we had passed to see if we were creating any problems- a big shout out to our police liaison and our lawyer- this support was critical today. As we marched through a 287g agreement county and put our bodies on the line, we could feel how important it is for us to protect DACA and TPS, and win citizenship for all. We also felt some real support- a woman pulled her car over and ran up to our van, donating $100, an older couple brought us homemade cookies to the restaurant we were having dinner with to support our efforts, and the restaurant gave us a Korean snack to take with us for tomorrow (keembab!) And we got to eat Korean food after days of sandwiches!  We could feel the importance of what we are doing and the difference it is making! See our live feed here.

Day 10: Kennett Square, PA to Northeast, MD

We marched into our final state of Maryland before reaching DC!! We passed through some beautiful countryside and by cows and horses- the scenery was breath taking, and we enjoyed the sandwich makings that had been donated to us before we left Kennett Square in a big grassy field where we ate and danced together!  We were careful to pay attention to our marshals as we travelled through areas with 287g agreements (police and ICE collaboration) and that are known to still have members of the Ku Klux Klan. Being in this area reminded us of how important DACA and TPS protections are, but that it is not enough. Other folks, such as those who were adopted from other countries but citizenship was not secured, are also at risk of deportation.  Adoptees for Justice co-director Kristopher Larsen has been marching with us as we share common pain and a common vision. Please see more about his story HERE.

Thank you to Nikkolas Smith!

Check out this BEAUTIFUL art piece created by Nikkolas Smith of our #HomeIsHere marchers for #DACA and #TPS. Please check out the artist's work at https://www.nikkolas.com/ !!

DAY 9: Pennsyvania - MEDIA to KENNETT SQUARE

 We finished Day 9 and now are at the halfway point of the March! Today, we walked from Media, PA to Kennett Square, PA. The roads were very windy and hilly, and the marching was more difficult due to construction in the streets and lack of many shoulders on the roads. As we enter more conservative territories, we are experiencing both cheers of support and people yelling not-so-nice things at us, but we are determined to meet hate with love! When we arrived in Kennett Square we were greeted with great warmth and a huge HOME IS HERE sign by CASA PA and the Kennett Square Friends Meeting, where we were provided with dinner, showers, and stayed the night. CASA PA leaders held a beautiful program for us where their impacted members shared their stories with us, some who talked about how DACA had changed their lives and some who were not eligible for the DACA program and how difficult it is to live without any protections. People expressed great gratitude for what their parents had sacrificed for them to have a better life, which reaffirmed our commitment to citizenship for all! Watch our new video that highlights stories like these.

Day 8: Philadelphia to Media, PA

The weather was sunny and even warmish at times as we marched! It was great to feel the sun on our faces and we enjoyed playing drums, chanting and saying hello to some of the folx who came into their doorways to greet us as we passed by their homes. We picked up some megaphones in Philly which helped our Marshalls a lot! We arrived at the Media Courthouse where a group of around 50 community members and Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon met us with a rally! They were chanting, “Welcome home!” To us which was so incredible to hear and made some of us misty eyed! Later we were hosted for dinner by the Sisters of Dominica, the Movement of Immigrant Leaders of PA and Centro del Pueblo, and immigrant women led organization. We finished the day at the Media Providence Friends School who housed us for the night. It was truly a beautiful day all around! See this video to see why this fight for DACA and TPS is a fight for citizenship for all!

Day 7: Philadelphia

We enjoyed our day in the city of the Liberty Bell which rings for freedom! We kicked off the day with a press conference hosted by Philadelphia City Councilwoman and NAKASEC board member Helen Gym! Glo Harn Choi from HANA Center/NAKASEC  and Mariana Magana from CHIRLA were featured speakers. Later in the evening, local groups including the Pennsylvania Immigrant Citizenship Coalition, Asian Americans United, Vietlead and Make the Road PA held a dinner and community event for us at the FACTS Charter School which had a panel of local organizers who spoke about the need for citizenship for all. Along the way, we are meeting so many kind community members who are encouraging us and letting us know they are following us as we get closer to DC. 

DACA march to U.S. Supreme Court stops for a Friday rally at Philly City Hall (The philadelphia inquirer)

November 1, 2019
By Jeff Gammage

A dancing, singing, drum-banging troupe of DACA recipients strode loudly into Philadelphia on Friday, marking the halfway point of a New York-to-Washington march to save a program that allows migrants who were … brought as children to live and work in the United States.

They arrived, several said, with sore feet but strong spirits.

Read the full article here.

Activists fighting to save DACA make stop in Philly en route to SCOTUS in D.C. (WHYY)

November 1, 2019
By Emily Scott

Katherine Antarikso calls herself an “accidental immigrant.”

She came to Pennsylvania from Indonesia as a child with her family when her father started a doctoral program at Penn State University. Antarikso became undocumented in high school and lived in a constant state of fear, she said.

During a rally, Friday morning in front of City Hall, Antarikso, a Philly-based project architect, read a poem she wrote called “Can You See Me?”

“In my everyday life, what you do in your every day would have no consequence. But if I am noticed, I face a permanent absence,” the poem reads. “… I want to tell you that there is no life for me where I come from, but I am already a ghost here, so what is the difference?

Day 6: Torresdale, PA to Philadelphia, PA

Stormy lightening and thunder weather conditions, we could not actually march, but we marched forward in spirit! The Sisters of Saint Joseph gave us many blessings as we left. We ate lunch at an immigrant owned business who cheered us on! We used the time to have a strategy meeting to talk about the ongoing campaign for DACA & TPS beyond the Nov. 12th opening hearing on DACA, and then celebrated Halloween with an “Un-Talent show” in which we had two winners tie: Mia Ives-Rublee, of Adoptees for Justice (www.adopteesforjustice.org) who performed spoken word and Sam Yu, NAKASEC Communication Coordinator who vogued! We stayed in a hotel in the evening and our bodies were excited to sleep in a bed for a night! Watch some interviews here: Marcher Interviews from Day 6

Day 5: Trenton, NJ - Torresdale, PA

Today we left New Jersey and arrived in the third state of our journey, Pennsylvania! There was heavy mist and the route was quite hilly so the marching was a bit tough, but the community supporters who cheered us on along the way kept us going! One community member ran into their house to bring us their own poncho to use in the rain. Another community member ran over to bring us snacks. We were then greeted by the super sweet Sisters of St. Joseph who provided us with super yummy warm soup and bread! They were excited to hear the songs and chants we sign on the March. Please check out our Day 5 video HERE! Please share our social media widely!

Day 4: New Jersey- Princeton to Trenton

We thank the Nassau Presbyterian Church for the wonderful lodging and for the delicious meals including packing lunches for us before we left! We often sing a Freedom Fighter song to thank our hosts ie “Nassau Church is a freedom fighter and they taught us how to fight…”, and we learned the history of this song and that it was in honor of her and the original freedom fighters of the civil rights movement! We then marched 13 miles to our next destination. Parts of the roads were rough as there were few sidewalks but the drums and chanting kept our spirits high. As we arrived in Trenton, we walked through a mainly Black and Brown community, and they showed us so much support with families in their doorways waving and saying hello! Some folx even followed us on the March for a little while, which gave us the energy to complete the last 2 miles. We safely arrived at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in the evening. We heard folx in Birmingham, AL, did a March to honor ours! We are building so much solidarity both internally and around the country! The Supreme Court is going to feel it! Please watch Day 4’s video to learn more about why we march: March Day 4

DAY 3: New Jersey - highland park to princeton

We left the Reformed Church of Highland Park who also provided us a delicious breakfast and marched 11 miles to Princeton, NJ in much better weather! Along the way we sang, played and danced to Korean drums, and built our community. When we were resting outside a store someone came out who we thought was going to tell us to leave, but instead they offered us water and hygiene products!

One of our Marchers parents bought us lunch (hoagies and mango juice!) and then Nassau Presbyterian Church welcomed us in the evening. There, some local supporters brought us much needed wool socks! We are overwhelmed by the support and generosity we are encountering! Please watch our day 3 video which highlights why we march here!

DAY 2: new jersey - summit to highland park

Today we marched over 6 miles in the literally pouring rain from Summit, NJ, to Highland Park, NJ. Despite being a little cold and very wet, our Marchers spirits were high as we carried a banner that said “Abolish Ice, Defend DACA & TPS, Citizenship For All.” We were then welcomed by the Reformed Church of Highland Park, Cosecha and a deportation defense group called DIRE, who provided us with two warm meals, snacks AND even had community volunteers do our laundry! Volunteers with the ACLU escorted us and a community member provided rides. We heard that folx all over the area knew about the March and received many encouragement honks from cars on the way. We also had the opportunity to hear about the critical work Cosecha and DIRE are providing for their local community. Our Day 2 video features two of our leaders stories and can be found here.

PRESS RELEASE: Undocumented Youth Begin 16-Day March to Highlight Urgency of DACA and TPS Impending Termination

New York, NY (October 26, 2019)—Today, hundreds of community members from across the country and allies gathered at Battery Park, with the Statue of Liberty as their background, to launch a 16-day march to Washington, D.C. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)  recipients, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, and allies will walk 230 miles to continue building national support and awareness as the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on Trump’s unlawful termination of the DACA policy. Read the full press release here.

Dozens of DACA recipients and allies are marching 230 miles from New York to D.C. to defend program (daily Kos)

October 23, 2019
by Gabe Ortiz

Beginning this weekend at a rally in view of the State of Liberty, a group of Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status holders, and their allies plan to march 230 miles from New York City to Washington, D.C., where the Supreme Court will on Nov. 12 hear litigation around the Trump administration’s unlawful termination of the successful and popular Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Read the full article here.

DACA dreamers will march from NYC to DC in run up to decisive Supreme Court case (NY daily news)

October 22, 2019 
By Stephen Rex Brown and Michael Gartland 

They’re marching because they could lose everything.

Dozens of immigrants will walk to Washington D.C. to highlight an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case that could determine whether 700,000 people brought here when they were children will be allowed to stay.

Those undocumented immigrants — the so-called Dreamers permitted to stay under President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA — could face deportation if the Supreme Court overturns the policy. See the full article here.