Seattle, U.S.A. — As the implementation date for the deferred action for childhood arrivals, announced by President Obama on June 15, 2012, goes into effect, Avvo, the web’s largest expert-only legal and health Q&A forum and directory released a set of legal guides that provide greater clarity on the program, application process, and eligibility and requirements. The new guides, available on the immigration topic page, and authored by immigration attorneys who answer consumer legal questions on Avvo.com, include:

• What is the DREAM Act and Deferred Action?
• Deferred Action Eligibility & Requirements
• Everything You Need to Know to Apply for Deferred Action
• FAQ:  Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

Since the policy was announced two months ago, Avvo has received hundreds of questions related to the DREAM Act regarding the application process, eligibility, and how the application process will impact family members who are not eligible for the deferment. Further, Avvo has seen an 86 percent increase in the number of immigration-related questions in the first half of 2012 over the same period last year. Texas leads the country with the greatest number of immigration related questions on Avvo.com, followed by California and New York, taking into account population density.

Chicago resident Nevena Georgieva emigrated to the U.S. from Bulgaria nine years ago. She arrived on a green card, and was granted American citizenship five years later. Georgieva is among the millions of people who have received answers to immigration-related questions on Avvo.  “Avvo is an indispensable resource,” said Georgieva.

“I have turned to Avvo for help with my immigration questions, and I’ve used it to get advice regarding my business and for other legal concerns. Not only do I get answers within a couple of hours of asking a question, but I have also benefitted from the thousands of other legal answers and useful resources on the site.”

According to the Pew Hispanic Center up to 1.4 million children and young adults who are in the United States illegally could benefit from the new deportation policy. The 1.4 million estimate includes 700,000 unauthorized immigrants who are ages 18 to 30 but arrived in the U.S as children and are currently enrolled in school or have graduated from high school; and an additional 700,000 who are under the age of 18 and are enrolled in school.

The article Legal Guide to Clarify Obama’s New Immigration Policy Released appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Kmart recently announced the names of 2011 Latina Smart Fund scholarship recipients. The Latina Smart Fund was created in 2011 as a means to make higher education more accessible to Hispanic youth. Winners announced March 2 were chosen amongst nearly 200 students across the nation who submitted applications through the Latina Smart Facebook page.

Applicants uploaded written essays and video submissions to the Latina Smart Facebook page describing what it means to be “Latina Smart.” The top 50 entries with the greatest number of  ”likes” advanced to a second round of reviews. Latina Smart brand ambassadors then selected 20 entries to advance to the final round where a committee of experts in the areas of business and education selected one $10,000 first-prize winner and three $5,000 runners up.

For Latinos, the hope for a brighter future and greater opportunities in the US is fueled by placing high importance on higher education. According to survey data from the Pew Hispanic Center, nearly 88 percent of Hispanics feel that a college degree is vital for getting ahead in life. [i]

“Kmart recognizes the importance of education within the Latino community as well as the need for college funding,” saidAndrew Stein, acting chief marketing officer, Kmart. “Through our Latina Smart Fund we are able to provide a total of $25,000 in financial support to four scholarship recipients.”

Odalis Lopez, a freshman and communications major at the University of Maryland at College Park, was awarded the $10,000 first-prize scholarship. “I am the first high school graduate in my family and my tenacity led me to become the first Hispanic valedictorian in my high school – never let anything hinder your success,” said Lopez.

$5,000 scholarship recipients included Gabriela Ruiz-Colon (Woodbury, Minn.), Bertsie Cantu (Charlotte, N.C.), and Rebecca Vences (Wake Forest, N.C.).

For more information on the Latina Smart Fund scholarship please visit http://www.facebook.com/latinasmart.

[i] Latinos and Education: Explaining the Attainment Gap Pew Hispanic Center, October 7, 2009

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