veteran Jamaican journalist and Atlanta based community activist, Connie Witter, has been lauded for “her fearless work” and “bravery” in her struggle in demanding relief for immigrant youth, faced with deportation from the United States of America.

Her tireless efforts were rewarded with the breaking news on Friday, June 16, 2012 by President Barack Obama, speaking from the White House, in which he announced a long-overdue policy that gives legal status to young immigrants, including students and members of the military.

Hundreds of Jamaicans are expected to benefit from what has been dubbed the DREAM Act which is summed up in one sentence by the historic first African-American president: “It makes no sense to expel talented young persons who are, for all intents and purposes, Americans.”

Under the Act, immigrant children in the US before age 16Connie Witter, who is a member of the Atlanta-Jamaican Association, had some months previous, in a nationwide effort for change, started a “Children of Immigrants Petition” on Facebook. The response was overwhelming, especially from the Latino community. She reportedly received the ears of thousands of people and her efforts caught the attention of Congress and the White House.

Angela Guzman, the director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in Washington, DC, told Witter after the president’s announcement: “Thank you so much for the part you played in this struggle.”

Donna De La Cruz of Reform Immigration For America added: “With hope and gratitude, we are grateful for the bravery of activists like yourself across the country and your commitment to demanding real relief for immigrant youth. Your fearless work made today’s news a reality.

“To honour this announcement, we will deliver a card to the White House with your message, thanking President Obama for keeping his promise of real relief. The fight for the national DREAM Act and national reform continues – but today’s news means the promise of relief for an estimated one million Dreamers will be made real.”

Connie Witter is a former Hansard reporter during the era of Chief Minister, Sir Alexander Bustamante and then Opposition Leader, Norman Manley, QC. She later worked with the Jamaica Information Service, the Jamaican High Commission in London and the now defunct Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation.