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 that he has first organized to promote the DREAM Act. For couple of days, Miguel was looking for a student who is willing to share a testimony with him. Miguel generously asked me to see if I’m willing to share my testimony or not. Without any hesitation, I told him I would do it.
I first met Miguel at the San Jose “Mock Graduation,” of event that promoted awareness about the reform of immigration in America. Students from Bay Area gathered together in one place, wore cap and gowns, shared testimonies and expressed concerns about our current broken immigration system that lies in this country. The purpose of mock graduation ceremony was to bring sense of urgency to pass the DREAM Act and the Comprehensive Immigration Reform. The research suggested that 65,000 undocumented students graduating from high school every year, with fine academic performance and serve in thousands of hours in the community, yet they are ineligible to attend college due to the immigration status. One of the Mock Graduation students was holding a sign up high, which it spotted many of us to see clearly. It said, “What now?” with a huge black font. The sign, “what now?” clearly indicates the oppression and limitation of undocumented student’s future despite of their education.
Miguel is fairly short compare to average men’s height, brown skin, slightly chubby I’d say, but has a charming face. Compare to his age, he looks very mature and friendly. He is firmed and serious. Most of the time, he is quiet and thoughtful.
Miguel and I exchanged conversation after the mock graduation, with couple of other DREAM activists. I do not recall what we talked about, but I remember he wanted to get more involved and do something in his college. 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 and Bart down to Cal State East Bay to participate in Miguel’s event, hosted by MECHA club (Miguel is a secretary of MECHA club). When I arrived to the campus, my heart rate began to increase. I was excited to see Miguel and anticipation of the outcome of his event.
Miguel welcomed me in the Union University room, which is supposedly food court area. When I saw Miguel, I could tell he was glad to see me again. We exchanged few conversations, and then we rushed down to the Diversity Center where the event was held.
The room was filled with students and professors, anticipating something to learn. 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, and clearly educated the spectators about our broken immigration system. In 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 clear fact for me as well as other undocumented 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 to help my family and 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.”
