Immigration Reform: Dreamers
Packet #1: The Issue
“Undocumented” Immigrants are people from other countries who: 1) entered the United States without authorization; or 2) entered legally but remained in the United States without authorization.
However, “undocumented” youth and students usually have no role in the decision to come to this country. They are usually brought to this country by their parents or relatives, and for many, they have spent many more years in the United States than in their country of origin. Many came when they were only infants.
v 2.5 million undocumented youth live in the US
v About 65,000-80,000 undocumented students graduate from US high schools each year. Only 5-10% of these graduates go to college, largely due to not qualifying for financial aid due to their citizenship status, and after college may not be able to gain legal employment
v Roughly 40% or 26,000 “undocumented” youth reside in California alone
v Many students don’t know they’re undocumented until they begin the college process
v Undocumented students don’t qualify for state or federal grants or loans, even if their parents pay taxes
v Undocumented students may be eligible for in-state tuition only in certain states (California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, and Washington)
1. According to the information above, in what states can students receive in-state tuition AND financial aid? What states ban “undocumented” students from attending college?
2. In the US, what state has the most “undocumented” residents?
3. Compare how many “undocumented” high school students there are in California, with how many there are in the University of California system—what do you notice?
What “Undocumented” Students are asking for:
v In some states, the ability to go to college
v The ability to qualify for state and federal financial aid in order to go to college
v Pathways to legal residency and citizenship
v End to stigmatization of “undocumented”
o Fill in definition of stigmatization:
The Dream Act:
Stands for: development, relief and education for alien minors. The first version was introduced in 2001, and the most recent version was proposed in 2011 by the bipartisan congress.
To qualify for the DREAM Act, a student must:
v Continuously present in the U.S. for at least 5 years prior to passage of law
v Under 15 years of age when entered U.S.
v Able to demonstrate good moral character
If a student graduates and qualifies, they would be able to apply for conditional status that would authorize up to six years of legal residence. During this time period, the student would be required to graduate from a two-year college, complete at least two years toward a four-year degree, or serve in the United States military for at least two years. Permanent residence would be granted at the end of the six-year period if the student has met these requirements and has continued to maintain good moral character.
The DREAM Act would also eliminate a federal provision that discourages states from providing in-state tuition to undocumented students, “thus restoring full authority to the states to determine state college and university fees.”
The Federal DREAM Act has yet to pass, mostly due to Republican Senators who refuse to support it. However, 14 states have their own DREAM Acts, including California, who has passed 2 laws to support these students, now known as DREAMERS to receive higher education:
v AB540: allows students to qualify for in-state tuition, which is much cheaper. For example, University of California in-state tuition is $6,780 a year, as opposed to out of state at $24,900
v California DREAM Act: allows students who meet DREAM qualifications to receive both private and state financial aid
v Berkeley Undergraduate Dream Act Scholarship: $8,000 scholarship awarded to students attending University of California with financial need, a 3.0 GPA, and who qualify for in-state tuition under AB540
DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals):
In response to growing need and activism, Obama’s administration passed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA in 2012. It allows DREAMERS to register with the federal government every two years to get deferrals of deportation actions. For many, it is considered a major step forward.
1. Based on reading the information above, and your own knowledge, do you think it is just/fair that young people should be punished and excluded from college and becoming legal citizens because of the decisions their parents made? Why or why not?
DREAMERS organize and tell their stories:
The following short video goes over the various laws, and a few DREAMERS’ experiences:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/01/us/dream-act-gives-young-immigrants-a-political-voice.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&