Spring & Summer 2024 – Independent Dreamers Mexico Study Abroad Program

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Spring and Summer 2024 Independent Dreamers Study Abroad Program (IDSAP)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

Given the tenuous future of DACA, the CMSC has decided to create the Spring and Summer 2024 Independent Dreamers Study Abroad Program (IDSAP) in order to offer a broader and a more flexible travel-study opportunity for Dreamers in Mexico and other countries of origin from April 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024 for the Spring Program and July 1, 2024 to September 30, 2024 for the Summer Program. 

This unique model will allow for both, Mexican-origin Dreamers and DACA-mented Dreamers from other countries to discover their birthplace, cultural roots, reaffirm their identity, reconnect with their families, and explore higher education opportunities in Mexico.  

This program will operate under the CMSC’s Mexico City-based collaboration  with a  network of partner institutions, which include: Mexico’s National Autonomous University (UNAM), Facultad de Estudios Superiores de Acatlán Campus and Centro Cultural Universitario Tlatelolco, the five-campus prestigious Mexico City Metropolitan Autonomous University (UAM), the public Mexico City Autonomous University (UACM), El Colegio de la Frontera Norte (COLEF), Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT) and the      CILAC Freire Institute in Cuernavaca, Morelos. 

The CMSC’s Spring and Summer 2024 Independent Dreamers Study Abroad Program (IDSAP) has been designed specifically to offer travel-study options for individual Dreamers or in small groups, for colleges and universities to develop long-term and short-term projects for their Dreamers and to continue to require an ethnographic research paper based on their experience returning to their homeland and discovering Mexico. 

The Spring and Summer 2024 Independent Dreamers Study Abroad Program (IDSAP) is explicitly designed for colleges and universities, Labor Unions, Community-based Organizations, Churches and Religious Organizations, and Dreamers’ organizations, interested in contracting with the CMSC for travel-study abroad programs designed specifically for the sponsoring institution’s purpose and participants, including non-Latino and non-Spanish-speaking Dreamers.

 

In addition, the CMSC’s Spring and Summer 2024 IDSAP will welcome individual applicants who may be interested in conducting extensive independent research for up to a full semester of study abroad activity with a Multiple Entry Advance Parole Permit. Dreamers or groups interested in this option will develop a CMSC travel-study plan and an IDSAP Special Program contract at a slightly higher cost, in order for the CMSC to facilitate Multiple Entry Advance Parole authorization.    

The curriculum for the IDSAP educational program model consists of 2 pre-departure online orientation and travel preparation sessions, a psychological group therapy session, and historical, cultural, linguistic lectures (cátedras) on social movements, the Mexican educational, economic and political systems, with a leadership development focus. 

Moreover, selected participants will have the opportunity to participate in online seminars on Chicano Studies and the U.S. Mexican Diaspora, Cultural Arts, Public Policy Planning and Collaboration colloquia related to the California-Mexico and Los Angeles-Mexico City Sister Cities relationship; and the evolving U.S.-Mexico post-NAFTA relationship in the era of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), now under the AMLO and the Joe Biden/Kamala Harris administrations.  

Program participants will also receive instruction and be provided a unique writing workshop to prepare them for the opportunity to conduct independent travel and ethnographic research on their family origins, which will be applied when they visit their birthplace and families. Most importantly, they will be required to produce a 10-page ethnographic research paper based on their travel-study experience before returning to the US. 

A selection of these essays will be published by the CMSC, in subsequent publications similar to our first journal published in January 2023 as  Anthology of Dreams from an Impossible Dream, a 380-page bilingual book with 38 selected essays from 215 participants in our Summer 2021 Dreamers Study Abroad Program (DSAP), and offered free to the participants and the general public, educators, students and policy-makers, as exemplary human stories by Dreamers and a worthy resource for research, as script narratives for articles, documentaries, and academic presentations.

On October 21, 2023, Anthology of Dreams from an Impossible Dream received gold and silver medals from the International Latino Book Awards for Best College Level Academic Themed Book in Spanish and Best Cover Design, respectively.

 

Program Eligibility:

Dreamers living anywhere in the U.S. are welcome to apply. In fact, we encourage Dreamers from other countries to apply because there have been very limited, or non-existent opportunities for them to benefit from a similar program. 

Applicants whose birth country is not in Latin America will be considered for admission into the Spring and Summer 2024 Independent Dreamers Study Abroad Program (IDSAP), if they agree to participate in the IDSAP Special Program, individually designed to provide them the opportunity to return to their country-of-origin, participate in a 3-day Orientation and Return Preparation Academic Program, and submit their 10–page ethnographic research paper required by the IDSAP from all participants, and returning to the U.S. via Mexico City. 

The IDSAP Special Program will be offered at a higher cost ($5,000) to cover the extra costs for all extra CMSC staff services provided, in addition to the regular DSAP program model, including 24/7 translation and interpreting while in Mexico, higher medical insurance cost, secure and private local transportation and field trips, and a more complicated process to secure Advance Parole authorization.

All DACA-protected Dreamer participants will be provided assistance to apply and secure USCIS Advance Parole travel authorization for educational purposes through our program, during April 1 to June 30, 2024 for the Spring program, and July 1 to September 30, 2024 for the Summer Program. 

 

Most notably, the CMSC boasts a 100% Advance Parole permit approval and 100% return into the U.S. rate for almost 750 Dreamers that have participated in 24 programs since 2014, when the program was established by Professor Armando Vazquez-Ramos.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:

• To research, develop, promote, and establish policies and programs between higher educational institutions and cultural organizations that will enhance the teaching, mobility, and exchange of faculty, students, and professionals between California and the U.S. with Mexico and other nations in the Western Hemisphere.

• Establish the administrative framework for a replicable educational program model for Dreamers’ Study Abroad Programs at U.S. colleges and universities, through the DACA-Advance Parole process that U.S. institutions of Higher Education can offer to their students.

• Prepare participating Dreamers as ambassadors of the model for them to replicate similar programs at public and private colleges and universities, based on their personal experience.

• Continue and expand video and photo documentation of Dreamers’ human stories.

• Allow Latino and non-Latino Dreamers to conduct independent travel-study and family ethnographic research in their communities of origin, as an integral part of the CMSC’s Mexican Diaspora Studies and Chicano Studies in Mexico initiative.

• Provide Dreamers and Chicanos the opportunity to independently discover their cultural roots in Mexico and reaffirm or define their identity.

Program Cost for the CMSC’s Spring and Summer 2024 IDSAP: 

Selected participants will be required to pay a Program Fee of $4,000 to the CMSC and they will also pay for their $575 Advance Parole application fee to USCIS, when they mail their USCIS I-131 Form with the approval and supporting documents provided by the CMSC.

Past participants of the CMSC’s Dreamers Study Abroad Program will be provided a 10% ($400) alumni discount, if they have current paid membership status in the DSAP Alumni Network ($100). 

All applicants: after your interview you will receive an email notifying you of our selection decision. If you are accepted into the CMSC’s IDSAP you will have 5 days to accept and submit your $4,000 program fee payment in the following manner: 

• Option one: Pay the one-time full amount and receive an immediate $400 discount (10% less). This means the participant will only pay $3,600, if payment is made within 5 days of being accepted.

•  Option two: The participant will make two payment installments, with the first installment being due within 5 days of acceptance in the amount of $2,000 and a 2nd payment of $2,000 that will be due 3 weeks after the first payment.

• Paid Applicants Accepted: you will then need to schedule your Advance Parole appointment with one of the CMSC advisors and you will need to have a money order in the amount of $575 to pay for the Advance Parole Travel Permit fee, payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security by the participant at the time of sending in the I-131 application to USCIS.  

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

To be eligible for consideration to IDSAP program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be 21 years old or older at the time of travel.

• Speak functionally fluent Spanish. 

• Applicants whose birth country is not in Latin America will be offered a Special Program package at a higher cost to cover extra costs of translation and interpreting services, travel guides, safe and secure transportation for field trips in Mexico, etc., provided as a custom-designed program model. 

• Dreamers must have an active DACA status with an expiration date after July 31, 2024 for the SPRING IDSAP, or after October 31, 2024 for the Summer IDSAP

• Have a valid passport from their respective country of origin. Passport must be active 6 months after June 30, 2024, or after September 30, 2024, for the Spring and Summer 2024 programs respectively.

• If the applicant is Mexican-born, they must commit to applying and attaining the Instituto Nacional Electoral’s Credencial de Elector del Instituto Nacional Electoral (INE) before traveling to Mexico. Click here to follow the instructions to apply for an INE Card.

• Must have no major criminal or immigration record with deportable offenses or pending cases that may be deportable violations.

• Must commit to participate in ALL PROGRAM activities.

 

CMSC’s Requirements and Protocols to prevent and protect all participants and staff from COVID infection: 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CMSC has taken extra measures to ensure our staff and all participants’ health and safety during all our study abroad programs.

Requirements and Protocols:

• All applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and have received a ‘booster’ (known as the ‘new COVID-19 vaccination’) within 3 months before departure. Must provide the CMSC with proof of vaccination and booster in order to apply and be considered for any and all IDSAP programs, and required in order to depart from the U.S. No exceptions or exemptions unless otherwise approved by Prof. Armando Vazquez-Ramos, our CMSC President.  Note: It is a felony to falsify COVID tests and/or COVID vaccine cards and to do so will lead to immediate termination and forfeiture of all program fees.

• Must test negative for COVID-19, preferably via a lab test, or a self-test:

• • 2 days prior to departure to Mexico (each participant pays for this test).

 

• • 2 days prior to arriving at the Hotel in Mexico City for the academic program (each participant pays for this test).

 

• •  IMPORTANT NOTE: These timeframes for prior negative tests are subject to change without notice at the discretion of the CMSC and may depend upon points-of-origin and travel destinations, or due to new FAA and CDC travel regulations.

 

• Must have at least $1,000 in a bank account to cover the costs of 7 to 10 days for Room and Board at an Airbnb rental, meals and medication, if a COVID infection prevents you from returning to the U.S. 

 

• All participants must pay for all airfare from the U.S. to Mexico, during independent travel on their own as well as their returning flights to the U.S.  

 

• • All participants: If traveling independently, you must book your return flight to the U.S. directly from Mexico City to LAX, in order to ensure you will be cleared by the CBP office at LAX before catching any connecting U.S. flights.
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  • All participants traveling in groups: If you are part of a cohort or group, all group return flights will be scheduled directly from Mexico City airport to LAX and must be purchased through the CMSC’s designated travel agent.

 

INCLUDED IN THE $4,000 PROGRAM FEE:

• CMSC Program acceptance fees, Advance Parole (I-131) application preparation assistance, attorney consultation (as needed on a case-by-case basis), USCIS filing assistance and advocacy until approval by CMSC.

 

• Spanish, Mexican history and culture lectures and Catedras (lectures) on Migration, Chicano and Mexican Diaspora Studies and writing workshops provided by the CMSC faculty.

 

• All housing in hotel rooms, meals, and local transportation during the academic program designed for each participant.

 

•  Online 24/7 Medical Consultation provided remotely by the CMSC’s medical insurance provider and/or medical referral assistance during independent travel.

 

• Optional travel insurance policy self-coverage while in Mexico, or available for an additional cost during each IDSAP program. 

 

• During the academic program, the CMSC will provide in-person medical services by a Registered Nurse and/or Medical Doctor consultations and prescriptions paid by the participants and reimbursed by the CMSC’s medical insurance provider upon return to the US.

 

• Safe and secure local transportation and to the airport for US return flights.

 

• Provide a chance for Dreamers to visit their birthplace, conduct family ethnographic research, and discover Mexico independently.

 

• Provide a group therapy session prior to departure from the US, and referral to Psychological Counseling as needed to abate fear, anxiety, and panic attacks.

 

• Lawful CBP re-entry into the U.S. at the LAX airport, individually or as a group, arranged by the CMSC. The CMSC has a 100% return rate for almost 750 Dreamers that have participated in 24 groups since 2014, when the Dreamers Study Abroad Program was started by Prof. Armando Vazquez-Ramos.

 

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

To be considered for acceptance into our program, applicants must complete a three-step application process which requires the following:

• STEP 1: Complete and submit the online application form, and one letter of recommendation by no later than 7 days after the application is submitted.

 

• STEP 2: Send a Letter of Recommendation (LOR) no later than one week after you submit your application. You must email us one letter of recommendation from any of the following references: an employer or a professional reference, a professor, academic advisor/counselor, dean, department chair, church or community leader, or upload your LOR in the application if you already have it. If you were previously declined admission into the DSAP and are re-applying, please submit a new LOR. Any previous LOR will not be accepted. 

 

• STEP 3: Once the CMSC has received your LOR, you will be contacted to attend a Zoom interview with 2 advisors, as scheduled by CMSC Staff after you submit your application and letter of recommendation. Please note, you will not be considered for an interview until your LOR is submitted which will slow down the selection process, and we do have limited spaces available. We highly encourage you to submit your LOR promptly to improve your chances of acceptance.

 

Label your LOR in this manner:  FirstName_MiddleInital_LastNames_LOR.

Email your letter of recommendation to records@calmexcenter.org as soon as possible, and no later than 1 week after you applied for the program.  If your letter of reference provider is sending it directly to us, have them follow the same labeling and email guidelines. 

DO NOT WAIT until the last minute since we will not schedule you for an interview until we receive your LOR (DSAP alumni are exempt from the LOR requirement.) Once we reach capacity, we will close the application.

Applications missing LORs, or late LORs will not be considered.

Personal Statement of Purpose: As you complete the application form, you will be required to provide a statement addressing the following two questions:

• Explain why you are interested in participating in our program, and

 

• Elaborate on one or more of the following “pay-it-forward” projects and as an Alumni of the IDSAP that you would be interested to work on before, during or upon your return. Here are some examples:

 

• • Create a similar Dreamers Study Abroad program at your college or university.

 

• • Develop a project to assist other Dreamers at your campus or community (ex: establish a Dreamers’ Resource Center, undocumented students organization/club, etc.)

 

• • Prepare a photo presentation of your experience and organize 2-3 gatherings in your area, on your campus, or affiliated with an organization where you can share your experience and defend DACA, promote Advance Parole and promote the CMSC’s Dreamers Study Abroad Program to prospective DACA recipients.

 

• • Work or volunteer at a community-based organization to provide immigration services. (Ex: DACA and Advance Parole assistance, U.S. citizenship and voter registration, etc.)

 

• • Take leadership in your community to advocate for a path to citizenship and legalization of all undocumented immigrants. 

 

• • Or propose a project that will benefit undocumented immigrants which you would like to develop and implement after the travel-study experience.

 

These statements should be a minimum of 200+ words, which will be completed at the time you fill out the form. Please prepare your statement before you start the application to expedite completion.

Important note for Dreamer Applicants: Please take into consideration that the Advance Parole application approval process time can vary from 2 to 6 months; thus, we will give preference to those applicants who are quick to submit their completed online application and letter of recommendation. 

APPLICATION FORM:

Before you apply: The CMSC requires that ALL DREAMER APPLICANTS call the U.S. Immigration Court Automated Hotline to verify that you don’t have an immigration record that might jeopardize your safe return to the U.S.

For instructions on how to call the automated hotline please click here.

To apply to the program fill out the following form or click on this link that takes you to the online application.

Also, make sure to check out our Frequently Asked Questions Page in case you have any questions prior to applying.

 

DEADLINES AND IMPORTANT DATES for Spring and Summer 2024 IDSAP PROGRAM:

 

Dec. 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024

Period for Online applications.

Dec. 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024

Schedule Interviews with applicants who submitted the online application and the LOR to determine their eligibility, select and extend acceptance into the program by no later than April 30, 2024.    Selected participants must decide to accept or decline and pay the $4,000 program fee in full to receive a $400 discount, OR the first of two payments of $2,000 each which are due 5 days after acceptance to the program, and the $2,000 remaining balance by 3 weeks after the 1st payment. No payment installment options will be considered after May 31, 2024.   CMSC staff schedules Advance Parole application appointments with all selected participants to review the CMSC’s Advance Parole Application Manual (I-131 Form) and support documents. Moving deadline for selected participants to send their completed Advance Parole application with the $575 application fee to USCIS by no later than May  30, 2024.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

If you have any questions or need assistance with the application process, visit the Frequently Asked Questions page, call our CMSC Long Beach Office: (562) 430-5541, or email us at: records@calmexcenter.org

DISCLAIMERS:

Disclaimer for cancellation of the program:

The CMSC reserves the right and final decision to cancel the program activities in Mexico at any time, due to circumstances that are at no fault of the participant and/or the CMSC. Such circumstances are, but not limited to immigration policy changes regarding DACA and Advance Parole, a high resurgence of COVID-19 virus cases, and health protocols and recommendations by the Mexican government and the U.S. CDC. All other reasons must be unforeseen scenarios and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The CMSC will refund the program fees of all accepted participants, if the program is canceled by the CMSC. Please note, the CMSC will refund all but $1,000 of the program fees to cover program selection and pre-departure costs.

 

COVID-19 testing and preventive behavior requirements:

All applicants must provide the CMSC proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to complete the application form and to be considered for the Spring and Summer 2024 programs. All applicants must provide the CMSC proof of having one booster shot 3 months before departure date, or you will not be able to go to Mexico. All participants must agree to pay for the 2 required COVID-19 tests and all participants are required to submit results to the CMSC Medical Team to participate in the Spring and Summer 2024 IDSAP and the DSAP 2024 Winter programs, in the following manner:  

Tests #1 and #2: within 2 days prior to departure from the U.S., and within 2 days prior to arrival at the Mexico City Hotel hosting the IDSAP academic program. All participants must always strictly follow the preventive best practices for protection from the COVID-19 virus. This includes but is not limited to frequent washing of the hands, regular use of hand sanitizer, protective face mask, social distancing and avoiding large gatherings and events, physical contact and long periods of time in enclosed areas even with only a few people.

 

NO EXCEPTIONS OR EXEMPTIONS WILL BE MADE FOR ANY COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS, UNLESS APPROVED BY THE CMSC’S PRESIDENT & CEO