The immigration debate is back in the spotlight in Washington, DC. Last week, President Obama met with political, business, and religious leaders to discuss the need for comprehensive immigration reform even though it is stalled in Congress. Regardless of the comprehensive debate, we have an opportunity to make a difference for young people raised in the United States by asking the Obama Administration to grant deferred action to students who would benefit from the DREAM Act in order to prevent their deportation.
The lack of congressional action has created a humanitarian crisis among young people in our communities. Thousands of children graduate from U.S. high schools each year without any hope of attaining a higher education, only because of something out of their control – they were brought to the United States illegally by their parents as children. Their lack of options is not only unfair to them, but also to the United States. It is an unnecessary loss of valuable talent to our country and our economy. These young people should have an opportunity to get right with the law and contribute to their communities to the best of their abilities by allowing them access to higher education.
President Obama has said on more than one occasion that his greatest disappointment in the last Congress was the failure to pass the DREAM Act. His dedication to the bill was evident when last fall, numerous cabinet and government officials (including Secretary Arne Duncan, Dr. Jill Biden and Tim Kaine) publicly supported the bill in speeches and in op-eds in the media.
Because the bill failed in Congress, many young people are desperately seeking options to legalize status but are losing hope even as they excel in our high schools, colleges, and universities. Earlier this month, 22 Senators sent a letter to President Obama with advice on how to implement deferred action as a fair and consistent policy to prevent the deportation of young people throughout the country who would be eligible for the DREAM Act. You may have heard of Eric Balderas, the undocumented student studying molecular and cellular biology at Harvard University who was granted deferred action, but there are also talented students like Saad Nabeel, a student on full scholarship to University of Texas at Arlington in electrical engineering who was deported to Bangladesh. Inconsistent application of deferred action is not fair, and it is time to do the right thing for all children raised in the United States.
While only Congress can pass the DREAM Act, President Obama can direct the Department of Homeland Security to implement a more fair policy on deferred action. What can you do? Write to the President and ask him to treat young people fairly and consistently. Visit the “Reaching for a DREAM” campaign page on Connecting Our World today to take action.
I really dislike the SB1070 supporters, and the fact that they’re using the United States and Arizona flags to promote their unethical, and discriminatory ways.
“…they were brought to the United States illegally by their parents as children. Their lack of options is not only unfair to them, but also to the United States.”
Their parents have the option not to be in violation of our immigration law. Something is wrong with the system when they can reside here for decades on end. THAT is what creates their children’s limbo. Our current case law provides a public education right for their children regardless of legal status. Some would say that is unfair to the taxpayers of the United States but, for now, we have to work around that incongruity with statutory immigration law.
If we had verification on housing and employment, the number of illegal alien children would be much smaller. That is the solution, not serial amnesties and non-enforcement. I ask those who support the rolling amnesty approach, what measures do you favor which would deter the parents from coming in the first place and staying for decades? Or do you just condone illegal immigration? What do you want to do about the parents of the DREAM Act/deferred action beneficiaries? Just let them stay too? Create a formal or de facto right to stay because their child was a “DREAMer”? If so, DREAM Act advocacy is really just a Trojan horse for non-enforcement/amnesty in general. Non-enforcement and amnesty just beget more illegal immigration and thus should not be sold as a “solution”.
If undocumented students are allowed to remain in the USA and complete college, what challenges will they face when it comes to employment?
Thank you for your comments. I appreciate the opportunity to address some of the basic assumptions that often underpin the immigration debate, especially when it comes to undocumented students.
First, let me say international educators take compliance with immigration laws seriously. They spend an inordinate amount of time learning immigration regulation, inputting data into the student and exchange visitor information system (better known as the SEVIS database), and advising all manner of short-term and long-term immigrants on campuses to help them maintain lawful immigration status.
Second, by supporting the DREAM Act, NAFSA is not advocating for serial amnesties or any “Trojan horse” provisions. There are no provisions to provide legal immigration status for the parents or other relatives of DREAM Act children. The goal is to focus exclusively on the children who were educated in U.S. schools.
Third, I agree with you that adults have a choice about breaking the law. In supporting the DREAM Act, NAFSA is saying that children should not be punished for the actions of their parents. The DREAM Act allows children educated in the United States an opportunity to get right with the law. And the DREAM Act is not a free pass to a green card. It would be a long-term process requiring background checks, going to college or into the military, and a multiple-year period of time (this period has ranged from five to seven in years in prior bills) in a conditional status. If the DREAMers violate the law or the conditions of the status, their U.S. dreams are over.
And finally, fourth, I didn’t mean to imply that the DREAM Act is the solution to the broken immigration system; it is very far from it. Unfortunately Congress hasn’t been able to come to an agreement on broader reform. The DREAM Act is a small nod toward the idea that we all value education, service, and children. Some have said that the DREAM Act is a down payment on immigration reform. I don’t know if that is true, but it would be a recognition of one of the most basic American beliefs: any child in the United States that studies and works hard can do well, no matter how humble their beginnings.
In response to the question about work authorization, I wish I had a solid answer for you. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has wide latitude in granting deferred action. Generally applying for work authorization is allowed, but predicting the actions of DHS is beyond my capability. Deferred action is not intended as the ultimate solution though, only an interim step for students who would be DREAM Act-eligible. It would allow these students to remain in the United States while the debate on immigration reform continues. Broad immigration reform is needed for many reasons, including providing predictability so that no one has to wonder whether or not they’ll be able to work after graduating from college.
I can understand both sides of the story. But, wouldn’t it be possible to find a solution that fits all? If a student on full scholarship who obviously does pretty well is being deported immediately that just doesn’t make sense to me.