DREAM Act for California Immigrant Students Gets Push
New America Media, News Report, Seth Sandronsky , Posted: Feb 05, 2010
“In dreams, immigration officials rushed in and arrested me,” said Ju H. “I woke up sweating. My heart was pounding.”
Eyes tearing, the 20-year-old immigrant without citizenship documents from South Korea and current community college student in the San Francisco Bay Area continued telling his story to advocates, lawmakers and students at a crowded Capitol summit in Sacramento on Wednesday.
He described barriers to federal and state help for himself and others like him seeking education at four-year institutions. The walls to such schooling would fall with passage of the federal Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, first introduced in Congress in 2001.
The bipartisan legislation was re-introduced in March 2009 in the 111th Congress as S. 729 and H.R. 1751. This proposed bill would allow tens of thousands of students whose undocumented parents brought them to the United States, where they grew up, attended schools and worked, to access many forms of financial aid to achieve the “American Dream” of gaining a higher education degree and securing stable employment afterwards.
For example, the DREAM Act would amend current federal immigration law and allow states to grant residency status to undocumented youth who have graduated from high school. This, in turn would qualify such students for state college tuition, less costly than what non-residents pay.
In addition, the DREAM Act would allow these students to receive federal grants and be eligible for work-study programs at higher education institutions.
Speakers at the summit made clear the political obstacles to passing the DREAM Act.
“Today is a time of fierce anti-immigrant hysteria,” said State Senator Gilbert Cedillo (D-LA). “But I have optimism in spite of this with President Obama who ran on a platform of hope and change, plus a business community that understands the vital role of immigrants in the state economy.”
The expansion of an educated American work force itself is a policy of economic stimulus, the president has said.
Cedillo and his fellow lawmakers at the DREAM Act summit drew parallels between the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, which overcame discrimination against African Americans to the passage of the DREAM Act today.
“This is a continuing movement for civil rights,” said State Assemblymember Warren Furutani (D-Long Beach). State Senator Curren Price (D-LA), concurred with Cedillo and Furutani, noting the urgent need to remove barriers to higher education for undocumented students.
The College Board Advocacy & Policy Center, and the Latino, Black and Asian Pacific Islander Legislative caucuses, sponsored the DREAM Act summit in Sacramento. According to the College Board, 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high schools across the nation each year. In California alone, there are an estimated 26,000 undocumented youth, according to a 2006 Pew Foundation study.
They need allies to improve their educational opportunities after high school, said Kent Wong, an attorney, UCLA professor and director of the Center for Labor Research and Education. “These students were brought to this country through no decision of their own by parents and relatives looking for a better life,” he said.
The arc Wong described fits the life of Ju H. His mother, after a bankruptcy and divorce in South Korea, brought his sister and him to America nine years ago. He is studying political science and hopes to attend UC Berkeley in the future.
With the state budget deficit growing after the housing crash due to falling property and sales tax revenues, California lawmakers have hiked fees by double digits for students in the UC and California State University systems. With these costs rising, the dream of attending a state college or university could be fading fast for undocumented students with high school diplomas.
“We need your help in leadership roles to help us pass the DREAM Act in 2010,” said Ju H.
Seth Sandronsky lives and writes in Sacramento. Contact sandronsky@yahoo.com.
http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=f55d7b4a0ad08eb5bc966f5712cb5a63
Meet my friend, Miguel
One of my good friends from Cal State East Bay, Miguel P, hosted an event for the first time to promote about the DREAM Act. For several days, Miguel has asked potential AB540 students who are willing to share testimony at the event. Fortunately, we were able to talk to each other and I decided to attend the event and share my testimony.
I first met Miguel at the San Jose “Mock Graduation,” the event that was to promote awareness about the DREAM Act. At the event, there were dozens of students and allies gathered from the San Jose City hall and wore cap and gowns (symbolize dream act students), and shared testimonies and expressed concerns about our current broken immigration system that lies in this country. One thing that stood out the most during the event was that one of the dream act students hold onto a sign that says, “What now?” The sign, “what now?” clearly indicates the oppression and limitation of undocumented student’s future and dream despite of their hard work and dedication to pursue a higher education.
Miguel is fairly short compare to average men’s height, brown skin, and has a charming face. Compare to his age, he looks very mature and friendly.
Miguel and I exchanged conversation after the mock graduation, with couple of other DREAM activists around the Bay Area. I do not recall what we talked about, but I remember he wanted to get more involve and do something at his campus. Shortly after the mock graduation event, he has organized his first event in his campus.
It was on January 7th, 2010, I took a bus down to Cal State East Bay to participate in Miguel’s event, hosted by MECHA club (Miguel is a secretary of MECHA club).
The room was filled with students and professors, looking at us with anticipating eyes. The event started off with a short film called a “don’t stop me now,” produced by Educator for Fair Consideration foundation. The short film concentrates on stories of four undocumented youth struggling to get ahead in life. Although the film was 30 minute length, but it was a powerful clip that captures struggles of undocumented students. At the end of the film, the crowd shed in tears.
The emotional stage elevated as Miguel and I shared our personal journey as an undocumented immigrant. Just like other undocumented students, Miguel had a similar struggle story. Miguel came to this country with his family when he was young and graduated with high school with outstanding grades, and had dreams of becoming someone valuable to this country. By means someone who can contribute and give back to the society. However, he was marginalized its own dream due to the immigration status. One of the pieces of story that he shared really struck my heart. Miguel has worked as a janitor since he was in high school. I cannot imagine a young educated person mops floor and picks up trashes around schools, while other students moving onto next towards life.
The people were moved by Miguel’s story and they wanted to help his cause to change the broken immigration system.
I firmly believe that my duty as a DREAMer, as an educator, as an activist, is to spread stories just like Miguel, to educate other people and inspire them to mobilize and take action to make changes in this country. And I know that one day, stories like Miguel, will change this country.
Trail of DREAMS
EACH YEAR, hundreds of thousands of people are being deported and thousands of families are being separated. Children are being stripped from their parents by the immigration system and students are being held back from realizing the full potential simply because of a lack of documents they’ve never even had the opportunity to attain.
Immigrants and their families have waited patiently for change, but all they can see is more suffering. Still, our elected officials tell us we must wait, wait patiently for immigration reform. The Department of Homeland Security however, is not waiting patiently to separate us from our families.
WE CANNOT AND WILL NOT JUST SIT BACK AND KEEP WAITING!
On January 1, 2010, a small team of brave, passionate students from Miami will embark on a 2000 mile journey across the southeast, all the way to Washington, D.C. to galvanize unorganized communities and link immigrant rights networks and their allies to stand in solidarity for the passage of just and humane immigration reform for all that includes an end to the senseless separation of families and deportation of DREAMers, a pathway to citizenship, and access to higher education for undocumented youth.
Meanwhile, in south Florida, another team of passionate community members and families will begin an indefinite “Fast for our Families” in the name of all who have lost a loved one to the deportation system. The purpose of this fast is to touch the hearts of all who value family unity and strength of our communities. It aims to move the administration to stop tearing our families apart.
The Fast for Our Families will celebrate its last meal with those embarking upon the Trail of DREAMs on New Year’s Eve, and hold a sustained fast until the Obama administration hears the cries of all the families and communities torn apart by deportation. What the Fast for our Families is asking for is simple:
That the Obama administration…
• suspend the detention and deportation of immigrants with US Citizen children, spouses, and immigrant students until there is resolution on the passage of Comprehensive Immigration Reform;
• grant, both immigrants with US Citizen children and spouses whose detention and deportation have been suspended, work permits until there is resolution in Congress on the passage of Comprehensive Immigration Reform;
• support the creation of an honest process by which the best interests of communities, families, and children are weighed before detaining and deporting any individual.
Furthermore, it demands a face to face meeting with Janet Napolitano, head of the Department of Homeland Security agree.
We will give Congress until May First of 2010 to fix our broken immigration system. This is also the day that we expect to be arriving in the national capital with a goal of at least 100,000 people prepared to begin fasting until our nation’s great promise of justice and freedom is realized for ALL.
WHY A WALK?
We recognize that driving has become yet another way to disconnect ourselves from the beautiful communities and people of our country. We are seeking those that share our DREAMs and hold the same passion to carry that DREAM to fruition.
Also, we recognize that so many people in our immigrant communities DON’T have the privilege of driving, being denied the access to a simple driver’s license as well as basic identification. Through our commitment to grassroots organizing we will prove that you don’t need a permission to drive to allow yourself to dream, and that a license is not going to keep any of us from traveling every single step of the way to make sure we carry our message to the those who are determining the fate of all of our lives across America.
WHY A FAST?
We walk on the same spiritual journey as faith communities around the globe and leaders that came before us such as Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther King, and Mahatma Gandhi. We fast to strengthen our spirit but also because we are hungry for justice and our families are starved of the love that comes from our unity. We fast because we believe in a peaceful resistance to our oppression but understand that resistance is essential nevertheless.
As Martin Luther King Jr. once said:
“OUR CHOICE TODAY IS NO LONGER BETWEEN VIOLENCE AND NONVIOLENCE. IT IS BETWEEN NONVIOLENCE OR NONEXISTENCE.”
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
1) TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW ABOUT THE TRAIL, then go through that list and tell their mothers, cousins, and neighbors (blast it in every corner of cyberspace: make it part of your status, share the group, and invite your friends)
2) Support the walkers by coordinating a reception when they come through your town, or contact people you may know along the trail to receive them with a place to stay and a meal.
3) DONATE TO THE CAUSE: http://seed.sproutbuilder.com/ZACdaoIvHOHujb4f
4) Organize your own solidarity mobilization to D.C. that will reach critical mass on May 1st outside of Congress!
More on how you can help:
http://swer.org/actions.htm
Risk it Now!
After reading several articles about the dreamer’s deportation cases, it came to me in an epiphany that I may have chance to face deportation too. It’s a brutal, yet it’s a harsh reality for dream students. In the past, my family always told me to conceal my identity so that I won’t be able to get caught by the I.C.E. However, I’ve been constantly exposed myself to the public numerous times. In fact, I knew the circumstances: I will not only put myself into risk, but also put our family into jeopardy.
It sounds obscure to understand, but deep inside of my heart I knew I had to take a risk myself to help not only my family, but also my peers. Kent Wong once said, “These young students risk themselves to speak out despite of no legal status and subjugate to deportation, but greater risk is the silence of the face of oppression and face of injustice!” Indeed, it is crucial for all of us to fight for our dreams that will determine our future. I knew I couldn’t just wait and hoping for politicians to solve our problems. This is when I knew I had to do something to share my story and help other people. In this economic recession, immigrants and minorities get the worst hit, especially undocumented students. I feel as if poor get poorer and rich get richer. In the midst of financial crisis, however, we are not willing to give up. There are thousands of undocumented students are working full-time job at the restaurant, sometimes working double shifts and earning eight dollars an hour to support the family. Worst of all, these students have no government issued ID to proof its identity and unable to drive or get financial aid, which makes undocumented students to work triple hours than other students. These are one of the few struggles that undocumented students are facing in this difficult time, however, they had shown moral virtues to serve in schools as well as in communities. Also, they are proven to be strong and able to overcome these challenges and successfully graduate from top school with honors and recognitions. But despite of all that, our time is the most crucial part of all of us.
So in this critical time, we must stand united. We, as Dreamers, are depending on the DREAM Act to pass by next year. Let us be optimistic about our future. Let us be ready and prepare to shift our focus on the immigration issues. As many people would say, we must organize, mobilize, and take collective action. Every day, I’m glad to see we are growing and getting stronger. By next year, let’s look back our tragedy that happened in 2007 and let’s make sure it will not happen again. C. Whitton once said, “It’s how you deal with failure that determines how you achieve success.” With that being said, we must pressure Congress and President Obama to Pass the DREAM Act as well as Comprehensive immigration reform starting today. It’s not too late to reach our dreams; it is rather matter of commitments and dedication for next couple of months to strive for our dream. “You only live once – but if you work it right, once is enough.” J. Lewis. Let’s win this fight in 2010.
DREAM Act 2010.
DREAM Act 2009 – “LAUNCHING THE DREAM” PROMO
PROMOTE THE DREAM – Help this PROMO reach 5,000 Views! Because supporting the DREAM Act is supporting a Great Team.
AssociatedPress on DREAM Act
An estimated 65,000 undocumented students graduate from U.S. high schools every year and could go to college, but they don’t qualify for federal financial aid and cannot legally work. The DREAM act, reintroduced in Congress, could change that. (Nov. 19)
Their Future Is Ours
New York Times article
Published Nov. 16. 2009
There are 16 million children in immigrant families in the United States, one of the fastest-growing segments of the population. It’s an old American story made new in the age of globalization, when waves of human displacement in recent decades have led to immigration on a scale not seen since Ellis Island. But a country that has been so good for so long at integrating new Americans is stumbling under the challenge.
That is the conclusion of Professors Marcelo and Carola Suárez-Orozco, fellows at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton and co-directors of immigration studies at New York University. They have done basic research in immigration for more than 20 years, five of them studying 400 children from China, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Central America and Mexico.
The results of their research, released this month, show the stark effects of what Marcelo Suárez-Orozco calls “the age of global vertigo.” Dislocation breeds a host of difficulties, starting with family separation. Nearly half of the children in their sample had at some point lost contact with one or both parents, either through migration directly or through divorce or death. The absent parent was most often the father for long stretches or permanently. For 49 percent of the Central American children, separations lasted more than five years.
The children from separated families were, perhaps unsurprising, more likely to show signs of depression. Those symptoms were often accompanied by poverty, isolation and — despite an early period of hopefulness and engagement — a downward academic slide. Immigrant children lagged in mastering standard academic English, the passport to college and to brighter futures. Whereas native-born children’s language skills follow a bell curve, immigrants’ children were crowded in the lower ranks: More than three-quarters of the sample scored below the 85th percentile in English proficiency.
There is clearly a need for policies and programs to support immigrant parents and children, but the reality is as haphazard and tenuous as these children’s lives often are. Millions are growing up in mixed families, with some members here illegally, others not. Bills to help immigrant families with a path to legalization have died repeatedly in Congress, and small-scale reforms like the Dream Act, a path to college or the military for children of illegal immigrants have been stymied for years. New investments in language education, citizenship preparation and after-school and preschool programs have been derailed by economic crisis, harsh immigration politics and a general lack of attention.
This is the great challenge that is forgotten in the heat of the immigration debate. The children of immigrants are Americans. “They” are “us,” a cohort of newcomers who will be filling the demographic void left as the baby boomers start fading away. Their future is our country’s future. The job of integrating them is not only unfinished but in many critical ways has hardly begun.
Interview with Prerna Lal
What’s your theory of change regarding immigration reform? How do
you think we can make real change happen?
My theory of changing the course of immigration system is to pressure Senate and President Obama to pass the DREAM Act as well as comprehensive immigration reform. I believe that this is only way to solve our solution because our representatives are the one who make ultimate decision. So it’s really up to us how hard we can pressure Senate and President Obama to pass the DREAM Act.
However, this is not going to be easy. It takes time and dedication. There are several ways to pressure Senate and President Obama to make real change happen. One way is to educate other people and the community by having a workshop or a mini conference to bring social awareness and urge them to call and send letters to representatives. Second, share your story. You can always share your story in school, church, or local community to educate people about our side of story. Third, join organizations and clubs to advocate about this issue. Last but not least, embrace online blogs like FaceBook, Myspace, Wordpress, and Twitter to reach out people and encourage them to support the DREAM Act. These are the several tactics that we can work on for the next few months because it can bring awareness about the DREAM Act and pressure senate and president Obama to be on our side. In short, we must come together and start to organize, mobilize, and take collective action to fix our current immigration reform. That’s the only way to make real change happen.
2. What initially led you to get involved in immigration activism?
I knew I had to do something when my mother and my sister were struggling to live here without any support. My mother was losing her job. On the other hand, my sister was dropping out of college. Every day, our situations were getting worse and I knew I didn’t have time to wait and wishing for politicians to do something. That’s when I initially get involved in immigration activism. First year in college, I began to join different organizations and participated in different activities to advocate about this issue. I spoke in various workshops and gave speeches to local community and local churches.
3. What has inspired you to come out and be so open about your status,
especially since most DREAMIEs who are speaking out publicly tend to
be fighting deportation?
I, too, just like any other undocumented students, afraid to come out from the shadow. But there are several reasons why I decided to come out and speak on behalf of undocumented students. First, I wanted to bring social awareness and educate other people about our tough situation. Secondly, I wanted to reach out organizations and other DREAMERS to build momentum and social network. Thirdly, I wanted to show examples and encourage other DREAMERS to come out from the shadow and share their stories. Lastly, foremost important reason why I decided to come out is because this issue affects my mom, my sister, and me. So I don’t want to just sit down and wait for another decade wishing for DREAM Act as well as Comprehensive immigration reform to be pass. It is certainly challenging and risky to come out from the shadow and speak out, but I believe this is only way to gain our rights and ultimately we will overcome our struggles.
4. What do you say to those who ask you to go back to Korea?
It’s devastating when I people say such a things like this, especially when I hear from Korean American citizens. In fact, I had couple of Korean friends who asked me to go back to Korea. I was angry and I felt like I was betrayed by my Korean friends, but I knew they didn’t know about my whole side of the story. So next time when other people ask me to go back to Korea, I would tell them to listen to our side of story first before they make a judgment call.
5. Your message for other undocumented students.
For the next couple of months, we must come out from the comfort zone and urgently work together to pass the DREAM Act as well as Comprehensive immigration reform. This is our only chance! So please, I urge you guys to start organize, mobilize, and take collective actions in local, state, and national wide to reach our DREAMS! The time is our golden key to pass the DREAM Act, so we must take direction actions starting today!
East Bay student pursues dream of citizenship
http://www.insidebayarea.com/timesstar/localnews/ci_13619363
When his mother told him that he and his family are undocumented immigrants, Ju Hong was devastated.
The East Bay teen’s seemingly normal childhood had been darkened overnight by a sad fact of which he had been blissfully unaware. Like millions of American immigrants, he learned, his mother fled economic desperation in her country for the United States. Like many others, she overstayed her visa with the hope of attaining citizenship for herself and her children. She never reached that goal.
Today — nearly a decade after settling in the Bay Area — Hong is a productive, law-abiding resident who desperately wants American citizenship. But until he gets it, he will be pushed — like other undocumented immigrants — to live in the shadows. He also risks deportation.
“I have a life that’s a daily lie,” said Hong, a student at a Bay Area college. “Emotionally, I’m drained because any day anything can happen to me.”
But instead of playing the victim, Hong is actively trying to find a solution. The answer, he believes, lies in improving immigration laws. With that goal in mind, he spoke last week at a Santa Clara rally, telling the crowd his life story and why the need for immigration reform is greater than ever. He then joined nearly 1,000 people in a march that ended at Santa Clara University.
Hong also joined more than 300 people from nearly 30 states last month in Washington, D.C. There, he attended a Citizenship Day rally. He also met with congressional aides, asking them to support the Dream Act, proposed federal legislation that would ease the path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
It was Hong’s first trip to the nation’s capital. He made the journey with the help of the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), a national cultural and civil rights organization, and the Los Angeles-based Korean Resource Center.
Sookyung Oh, a NAKASEC official, said she hopes the students’ experience improves their understanding of what citizenship really means.
“Not just the legal definition of citizenship, but also the idea of giving service to a community and making it a better place,” Oh said. “We want to redefine citizenship as an action rather than a status.”
Some critics of undocumented immigrants argue that their illegal status undermines the regular citizenship process, and that they take jobs that legal citizens might hold.
However, Hong said all he wants is the freedom to give back to the country he calls his true home.
“My intention is to contribute to society, to work to boost the nation’s economy,” he said. “We’re not criminals; we’re striving to get an education and to make contributions to society.”
Hong is hopeful that the proposed Dream Act one day will provide him a path to citizenship, removing the biggest obstacle to him reaching his full potential. In the meantime, Hong hopes to use his new leadership role to help find solutions that benefit the country and its immigrants from all backgrounds.
“I want one day to get my law degree and maybe work in government,” he said. “I’d like to help others like me. I’d like to help those who are in my situation.”
Another Dreamer’s story
My name is Jamie and I am an undocumented American.
Author: Prerna Lal
[This week's DREAM Act guest post comes from Jamie, who already has a BA and an important message of social change and action for all of us. Visit Dreamactivist.org to find out how you can help pass the DREAM Act].
I was brought here like many other undocumented students at a young age. My sister and I lived in East LA for a short time until we moved to a better part of Los Angeles. Unlike some others, I did know about my legal status from a very young age. Because of this situation, I was constantly living in fear of being exposed and was very shy as a result of it. I can truly say that living in the shadows of society has an effect psychologically. It feels like I am always hiding something from people that I wish I didn’t have to. Despite these challenges I still have the ambition to prove to myself and others that we Dreamers can still get ahead in life.
I have noticed throughout this time that not only am I in the same situation as many others but I also have built the same character as them. We share the same ambitions to prove wrong to those that doubt us, to be something more than a stereotype we have been portrayed in the media. I learned to stop feeling sorry for myself and pick myself up from this mental prison we have all been placed in. Ironically in many ways it has made me stronger to deal with challenges in life. My hope is that it doesn’t beat me to the ground.
The DREAM Act is currently the only hope we all have. Thanks to Senators like Richard Durbin (IL), we have a voice. Although I have a college degree and a mind that rivals others, it is standing idle. I can’t get a job; I can’t get an ID or travel outside the country. It’s the things that are taken for granted that affect my life the most. I am tired of seeing my “legal” friends move on in life to better jobs, new experiences, and better opportunities while I watch them go. In the past years the DREAM Act has failed several times and each time our hope has been brought down.
This time I am taking action and I urge all others to do the same. We can’t stand aside and watch the opposition make calls to senators and get active while we stand around and feel sorry for ourselves. Action is the word to live by, nothing in history has been changed without someone taking action. So we must do the same and make the calls, send the emails, etc. I urge everyone to get up and do anything they can because I believe this time it is the last time we can really make a change.
Copy, Paste, and Send !
Hey guys,
You can use my letter and send it to your representatives. It seems difficult and takes long process to send a letter to the Representatives, but actually it’s not difficult at all. All you need is copy and paste the letter(fill out the blank), print, seal it, and drop in the mail box! How simple is that? If you don’t like my version, you can always make new one or modify the letter.
Once you send a letter to your representatives, you will get a letter from them within 2 ~ 3 weeks or so. Like I said before, it’s easy and this is one way to pressure our congress members to pass the DREAM Act. So please send a letter to your congress members TODAY!
Here is my version that I sent it to Barbara Boxer.
The Honorable (full name)
(Room #) (Name) Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator: (NAME)
Approximately 2.8 million students will graduate from United States High Schools this year. Some of them will go on to college, join the military, or take another path in life, eventually becoming active members of society, all equally American. However, in this sea of individuals, a group of approximately 60,000 will not have this opportunity, not because they lack motivation, but because of the status passed on to them by their parents.
These often highly achieved individuals cannot attend college, drive cars, enlist in the armed forces, work, or otherwise live a full life. Children that grew up on American soil, respect the laws of this country, and want nothing more than to be recognized for what they are, Americans, bear an inherited title of an “illegal immigrant”.
I am writing on behalf of these thousands of bright American students who are prevented from pursuing their American Dream of obtaining top-quality education because of lack of legal immigration status. Many of whom present unique talents, are among the best in their schools, perform various forms of community service and graduate with honors. Despite the difficulties associated with lack of legal immigration status they share the love for this Country, hoping that one day, they will receive the chance to become an equal part of Society.
(Personal Story)
That is why I think that students who were brought to this country as children and are educated people who want nothing more than to better this country should have a right to realize their American Dream. Consequently, many of these students have a power to positively influence America’s future if only they will be given a chance. In fact, this chance is in your hands, dear member of Congress. I believe that our Nation should take advantage of their expertise, and that is why I urge you to support the legislation in Congress of the Development Relief for Alien Minors Act, and its related bills (S.774, H.R. 1221, H.R. 1275).
That is why, Dear Senator ______, I urge you to let the American Dream live on.
Sincerely,
______
하버드 졸업해도 취직 안돼
http://www.koreatimes.com/article/557644
불법체류 신분으로 인해 하버드 대학교를 졸업해도 취업을 하지못한 사연이 화제가 되고있다.
사우스베이 지역신문인 ‘데일리 브리즈’가 3일 불법체류 신분 때문에 일자리를 찾지 못하고 있는 토랜스 출신 하버드 졸업생의 딱한 사연을 소개하고 ‘드림법안’ 통과 없이는 이같은 불법체류 학생들이 미래의 희망을 찾기 어렵다고 지적했다.
14년 전인 8세 때 부모와 함께 국경을 넘어 밀입국한 앨런은 4년 전 하버드 대학에 합격해 사우스베이 지역 멕시코계 커뮤니티의 스타로 대접 받았으나 대학을 졸업한 지금은 일자리가 없는 실업자가 되어 있다.
불법체류 이민자 신분인 앨런이 현 상태에서 미국에서 합법적으로 취업할 수 있는 길은 전무하다. 하버드 대학 입학 당시 앨런은 자신과 같은 처지의 불법체류 학생들이 합법신분을 취득할 수 있도록 허용하는 ‘드림법안’이 대학을 졸업할 때 즈음에는 통과될 것으로 기대했으나 예상은 빗나갔다.
취업하는 것이 불가능해 5일 중 4일은 집안에서 지낸다는 앨런은 “대학에 다닐 때는 깨닫지 못했으나 대학을 졸업하고서야 내가 불법체류 신분이라는 사실을 절실히 느끼게 됐다”고 힘든 심정을 토로했다. 신문은 앨런과 같이 불법체류 신분 때문에 대학을 졸업하고서도 취업하지 못하고 있는 학생들이 UC계열 대학에서만 400여명에 달한다고 지적했다.
<김상목 기자>
이민자 단체 산호세서 이민개혁 집회
http://www.koreatimes.com/article/554141
“가족은 함께 살아야 한다” 드림법안 통과 호소
한인 이민자단체를 비롯한 소수민족의 이민자단체들이 무차별적인 이민 단속을 금지하고 조속한 이민개혁 법안의 통과를 촉구하는 집회를 열었다.
15일 오후 5시부터 산타클라라 대학에 운집한 500여명의 이민자단체와 각종 봉사단체들은 자넷 나폴리타노 국토안보부 장관이 추진하고 있는 무차별 단속과 추방은 물론, 온라인 신원조회(E-Verify) 프로그램과 연방정부 불법체류자 단속 프로그램인 287(g)에 대한 백지화를 촉구했다.
나폴리타노 장관은 이날 산타클라라 대학으로부터 공로상을 받고 이민 단속의 추후 전망에 대한 연설을 하기 위해 산호세를 방문했다.
이날 집회에는 LA지역에서 활동하고 있는 한인단체인 미주한인봉사교육단체협의회와 민족학교를 비롯해서 남가주와 워싱턴 주, 아이다호 및 오레건 주의 이민자단체 20여 곳에서 집회에 동참했다.
집회 연설원으로 참석한 이들은 한결같이 “이민자의 나라인 미국에서 잘못된 이민법으로 이민자들이 단속과 추방을 두려워하며 비인간적인 대우를 받고 있다”면서 조속한 이민개혁법안의 통과를 요구했다.
히스패닉 여고생은 “아버지와 헤어져 살아가고 있다”면서 “가족은 함께 살아야 되는 것이 아니냐”며 무차별 추방을 하는 이민당국에 대한 각성을 촉구했다.
오클랜드에 거주하는 한인 홍주영 학생도 연설을 통해 “공부 열심히 했으나 이민법에 묶여 대학진학을 할 수 없고 이로 인해 미래에 대한 꿈을 꿀 수가 없는 상태”라고 밝힌 뒤 “또한 언제 경찰이 들이닥칠지 몰라 가족들이 잠을 이루지 못한 날도 수 없이 많았다”고 그동안의 힘든 과정을 설명했다.
홍주영 학생은 이어 “이민개혁은 히스패닉계의 이민자에게만 해당되는 것이 아닌 소수민족 모두에게 해당되는 문제”라고 역설한 뒤 “이 자리에 모인 우리 모두가 힘을 모아 드림법안을 통과시킬 수 있도록 노력하자”고 강조했다.
집회에 참석한 일부 인사들은 “이민자들의 지지를 통해 대통령에 당선된 오바마 대통령이 부시 행정부에 비해 오히려 더욱 더 이민정책을 강화하는 모습을 보인다”며 오바마 행정부를 싸잡아 비난하기도 했다.
한편 민족학교 관계자들은 연사들이 이민개혁안에 대한 촉구와 무차별 단속과 추방을 금지하라고 강조할 때마다 북과 꽹과리 등을 두드리며 집회분위기를 뜨겁게 달구기도 했다.
<이광희 기자> khlee@koreatimes.com
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자넷 나폴리타노 국토안보부 장관의 산타클라라 대학 방문에 맞춰 한인 이민자단체를 비롯한 소수민족의 이민자단체들이 무차별적인 이민 단속과 추방을 중지할 것에 대한 집회를 열고 있는 가운데 홍주영 학생이 드림법안의 통과에 함께 힘을 모아 줄 것을 호소하고 있다.
