JOIN US FOR THE MAY DAY RALLY TOMORROW!!
STUDENTS, YOUTH and EDUCATORS DEMAND: PASS THE DREAM ACT NOW!
We will be meeting at Madison Square Park at 2:30pm. Please wear white or bring a graduation gown to wear. We will be standing in the Northeast side.
At 4pm we will be marching to Union Square. The NYSYLC will wait by the Gandhi Statue and we will march to Federal Plaza
Details and Map Below. Please Download and Distribute!
DREAM 2009 Tracker – Thank Your Reps
DREAM IN THE SENATE (S. 729)
The following senators are CO-SPONSORS of the DREAM Act. Contact them by phone or e-mail and THANK THEM for their leadership and support!
**CALL AND EMAIL THESE SENATORS TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT**
| CO-SPONSOR | STATE | CONTACT HIM/HER |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sen Boxer, Barbara | CA | (202) 224-3553 |
| 2. Sen Feinstein, Dianne | CA | (202) 224-3841 |
| 3. Sen Udall, Mark | CO | (202) 224-6621 |
| 4. Sen Lieberman, Joseph | CT | (202) 224-4041 |
| 5. Sen Dodd, Christopher | CT | (202) 224-2823 |
| 6. Sen Martinez, Mel | FL | (202) 224-3041 |
| 7. Sen Nelson, Bill | FL | (202) 224-5274 |
| 8. Sen Harkin, Tom | IA | (202) 224-3254 |
| 9. Sen. Durbin, Richard | IL | (202) 224-2152 |
| 10. Sen Lugar, Richard | IN | (202) 224-4814 |
| 11. Sen Kennedy, Edward | MA | (202) 224-4543 |
| 12. Sen Kerry, John F. | MA | (202) 224-2742 |
| 13. Sen Menendez, Robert | NJ | (202) 224-4744 |
| 14. Sen Bingaman, Jeff | NM | (202) 224-5521 |
| 15. Sen Reid, Harry | NV | (202) 224-3542 |
| 16. Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten | NY | (202) 224-4451 |
| 17. Sen Schumer, Charles | NY | (202) 224-6542 |
| 18. Sen Whitehouse, Sheldon | RI | (202) 224-2921 |
| 19. Sen Leahy, Patrick J. | VT | (202) 224-4242 |
| 20. Sen Murray, Patty | WA | (202) 224-2621 |
| 21. Sen Cantwell, Maria | WA | (202) 224-3441 |
| 22. Sen Feingold, Russell | WI | (202) 224-5323 |
TO E-MAIL YOUR REPS: SAMPLE TEXT (Copy and paste content)
TO CALL YOUR REPS: GUIDE TO CONTACTING YOUR CONGRESS REP
DREAM ACT IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (H.R 1751)
The following representatives are CO-SPONSORS of the DREAM Act. Contact them by phone or e-mail and THANK THEM for their leadership and support!
TO E-MAIL YOUR REPS: SAMPLE TEXT (Copy and paste content)
TO CALL YOUR REPS: GUIDE TO CONTACTING YOUR CONGRESS REP
Last Updated: 5/2/2009
A Secret Weapon in The Immigration Debate
The first 100 days of Obama's administration are close to completion. Although President Obama declared during his campaign that he would move on immigration reform within his first year of administration, there has been quite some political action in Washington, DC. With the introduction of the DREAM Act in late March and the announcement by Sen. Schumer to start CIR hearings, all parties involved in the immigration debate are getting once again ready. One of those important parties and secret weapon is the ethnic media.
Radio hosts, newspapers editors, and TV channels are the connection that keeps first- and sometimes second-generation immigrants in touch with developments in the immigration debate. Besides keeping the immigrant community informed, most importantly, ethnic media shows the audiences what they can do to push for immigration reform. For example, last year the Latino and immigrant vote was a decisive segment of the electorate that helped Mr. Obama win the election. In fact, the entire electoral map radically changed: the Latino vote swung the results in CO, NM, FL and AZ. Coupled with a civic engagement campaign launched by pro-immigrant organizations, ethnic media aided in the impressive increase of citizenship applications and voter turnout last November. For instance, Univision and its "Ya Es Ahora" ("Now it’s the time") campaign contributed to make the slogan chanted on the streets of major cities in 2007 come true: "Today We March, Tomorrow We Vote."
Another important action that demonstrates the importance of ethnic media was the coverage of the nomination of Kirsten Gillibrand. Gillibrand was nominated by NY Governor Paterson to take the Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton earlier this year. Gillibrand was representative for NY District 20th, and while she occupied her seat in the House, her stance on immigration was mostly supportive of an enforcement-only approach. Immediately, after learning about this nomination, El Diario, an important Latino newspaper serving mainly NY, launched a campaign against this nomination, to the extent of calling this "A Disappointing Choice" After meeting with several NY officials, including Nydia Velasquez and Jose Serrano, Sen. Gillibrand understood that she represents a wider and more diverse constituency and expressed that she will fight for a humane and comprehensive immigration reform, which will involve family reunification and a path to legalization. Now El Diario is keeping abreast on her actions in order to hold her accountable for her promises. The prompt response of the newspaper’s editors illustrates the fundamental role that ethnic media can have when an issue that deeply affects the immigrant community rises.
Ethnic media is and should remain an active player in the immigration debate. For example, a recent editorial by El Diario states that it is time to pass the DREAM Act. El Diario states that "the potential of undocumented students is a microcosm of overall immigrant potential. For the future of this nation, it behooves Congress to pass the DREAM Act and lay a path towards successful immigration reform."
I encourage ethnic media to continue supporting a humane immigration reform, to keep our communities informed about developments in the immigration debate, and to encourage immigrants to get active! This struggle is not over yet, and before the final battle, we will need to unite all our forces. La union hace la fuerza!
Dreaming in Dixieland: Dream Act Activism in the South
A group of young high school students in Calhoun, GA, a rural community about 1.5 hours from metro Atlanta, are sowing together small pillows for Sen. Johnny Isakson, with the hopes raising awareness about the complex daily plight of thousands of undocumented youth living in this country. Nevermind that Sen. Isakson favors restrictionist policies on immigration and is looked on as a champion by anti immigrant organizations like FAIR and Numbers USA. They are members of the group Latinos for Justice and Education Organization, a group at its infancy, in the state of Georgia, where the influx of immigrants has dramatically increased by fifty percent and ranks as one of the top ten states with the highest foreign born population. Children born into immigrant families make up 16.5 percent of the total population of children in Georgia and are coming of age into a society that does not welcome their families.
These demographic shifts in several southern states are not uncommon and neither is the domestic and international migration. North Carolina, which has become a popular destination for migrants, now boasts 1.4 million immigrants living in the state and it is continuing to grow. Like Georgia, North Carolina which depends on the immigrant workforce for construction, farmwork and transportation jobs, also has a significant population of immigrant children and youth.
This is the same state, where State Senator Phil Berger (R-26), a staunch conservative, introduced a bill that will ban undocumented students from enrolling in any North Carolina colleges. Last year, the State Board of Community College stopped admitting undocumented students in the state colleges and forced the colleges to send out letters to over 112 students asking them not to return for the next semester. Members of the Coalition for College Access composed of students from N.C. State, UNC Asheville, UNC Chapel Hill and North Carolina A&T State University have been fighting back against this bill and organized protests at their campus urging other students to support them in their efforts for equal access to higher education. Similarly, students in Arkansas through the Arkansas Youth Thinking Ahead group have been fighting in support of Senate Bill 799, a bill that would have introduced in-state tuition access for undocumented students.
And their efforts do not stop there. This week, in solidarity with other progressive campus groups, the Coalition for College Access protested Tom Tancredo at the University of North Carolina at an event hosted by the right wing student group Youth for Western Civiliation. Tancredo, the former congressperson from Colorado, once called on ICE to arrest Dream Act students at a press conference minutes before giving their congressional testimony. Conservative bloggers and media immediately began attacking the Coalition for College Access and other allies as "violent dream act supporters". Additionally, in the video below, ALIPAC's president goes as far as comparing the protest to attacks made to African American and their homes in the south. This comment comes from the same organization with ties to right wing hate groups acoording to the Southern Poverty Law Center
Clearly, Dream Act organizing in the South needs our support and solidarity.
Open the Door to Higher Education: Pass the DREAM Act
Cross-post from Change.org
Every year 1.2 million students drop out of high school. Most of them live in low-income communities of color. Seventy three percent of whites graduate from high school and enroll in college, compared to 56 percent of Blacks and 58 percent of Latinos.
According to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, college tuition and fees increased 439 percent from 1982 to 2007 while median family income only rose147 percent. There is not doubt that rising educational disparities and tuition cost have made a college education harder to reach for most Americans.
For immigrant students without status, the barriers and difficulties to reach higher education are much severe. Their immigration status, bars them from applying to scholarships and financial aid. They cannot work legally to pay for their education and live in continuous fear of deportation. Every year, approximately 65,000 undocumented high school students graduate from U.S high schools with almost no hope of attending college. Among these students are valedictorians, award winners, star athletes, talented artists, and aspiring teachers, lawyers, and doctors.
For the most part, these students come to the United States with their parents as children. Many have no recollection of their country of birth. They have been educated in our schools, adopted American values, speak English, and know this country as their home. They are, in all aspects, Americans. Their immigration status derives from their parents. If the parents are undocumented and cannot attain immigration status, immigrant children are destined to stay undocumented without legal means to a path to citizenship and the chance to pursue higher education.
Knowing their unique barriers to a college education, undocumented students have fewer incentives to graduate from high school. Although it is difficult to know how many immigrant students drop out of high school because of their immigration status. Anecdotal evidence, from my experience working with immigrant youth, shows that their status is a major factor in their decision to drop out. In New York City, for example, only 23 percent of English Language Learning (ELL) students graduate from high school. According to the New York Immigration Coalition, by the 11th grade, nearly half of ELL students disappear from school rosters.
Undocumented students know that even if they graduate from college, their future is uncertain. Only 5 to 10 percent of undocumented high school graduates get to go to college. In 2006, the Migration Policy Institute estimated that about 50,000 undocumented students were enrolled in colleges and universities across the country.
Those who attained a bachelors or masters degree, however, are unable to work and put their education into practice. They are college graduates with no future.
Unable to attend college, undocumented students have no other option than to become part of the underground economy and, like their parents, be vulnerable to exploitation. As I have written before, this results into the creation of an under class of uneducated young people. A clear example of this reality: immigrant youth being exploited at a meatpacking plant in Iowa.
A legislation known as the DREAM Act addresses the struggle and barriers to higher education faced by undocumented students. The DREAM Act, which was recently introduced in Congress, is a bipartisan legislation that would provide a six year temporary status to undocumented students who entered the country before age 16, lived here continuously for at least five years, graduate from high school and have no criminal record. Over the six year period, students would have to attend college or join the military for at least two years to be eligible for permanent status. If enacted, this legislation would unleash the potential of immigrant youth by allowing them to further their education and contribute to our society.
To find out more about the DREAM Act and what you can do, please visit DreamActivist and the DREAM Act section of Ideas for Change in America.
Creating an uneducated generation threatens our nation's well being. As the new administration continues to talk about creating an educated workforce and investing in education, we cannot ignore the plight of undocumented students and their unique barriers to higher education. Our future depends on providing an opportunity for all students, regardless of immigration status, to attain a college education. An educated workforce would improve our standard of living and our ability to compete in the global economy.
The Dream Begins:2009
As dozens of college and high school students rallied outside the NY office of Senator Schumer, chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration, the DREAM Act was re-introduced in the House of Representatives (H.R.1751) and the Senate (S.729) last Thursday.
Dressed in caps and gowns amidst the rain and hailing from all the 5 boroughs and New Jersey, members of the New York State Youth Leadership Council and allies peacefully vocalized the challenges immigrant youth face and delivered hundreds of postcards to Senator Schumer’s staff, urging for his full support and sponsoring of the DREAM Act.
This action was the culmination of a week of action for the DREAM Act, urging YLC members to call, fax, and email their representatives and Senators to support and co-sponsor the DREAM Act. Nationally, the United We DREAM coalition as well as other organizations and youth groups, also welcomed the introductions by sending action alerts and dialing hundreds of calls to representatives.
First introduced in 2001, the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act would give undocumented immigrant youth who were brought to the U.S. at a young age the opportunity to adjust their immigration status after meeting certain requirements and completing either 2 years of college or military service. To qualify, one must have entered the U.S. before the age of 16, completed high school or GED here and must prove good moral character and no criminal record.
As such, DREAM would enable young people to continue their education and become fully integrated and contribute socially and economically to our country. Currently, because of their status, undocumented youth cannot receive financial aid or scholarships, work or drive legally and live in constant fear of deportation- despite having grown up here and sat in class next to you and me and been told they can be and do whatever they want.
By continuing to ignore the state of limbo undocumented youth are in, we are depriving young, talented, multicultural and multilingual individuals who know no other home than the U.S., their right to pursue their dreams and aspirations – the very equality of opportunity and right to education we so defend. Immigrant youth and families have waited too long, too many dreams have been deferred and too little has been done to address the obstacles these young people, who by all means are American, face today– yet despite it all, hope lives.
Immigrant youth throughout our nation are strengthening their voices by making their struggles known and mobilizing the immigrant and non-immigrant, the undocumented and citizens, youth and parents alike under a greater vision of equality and right to opportunity and education.
One thing is perfectly clear- young people are staunchly yet cooperatively looking to include legislators and allies in this struggle, as students at yesterday’s action called for legislators to, “Join our team, Co-sponsor DREAM!”
