Thread: CA-Graduation today for students in country illegally

Graduation today for students in country illegally

The ceremony in Orange is one of several mock graduations for illegal immigrant students to be held throughout the country.

BY CINDY CARCAMO
The Orange County Register
Tuesday, June 23, 2009

ORANGE It's "graduation day" for students who are in the country illegally and who say they want a pathway to residency and a chance for a better life.

Up to 100 illegal immigrant college students in Orange County will join the expected hundreds of others across the country scheduled to walk in mock graduation ceremonies today, organizers say.

"It's in solidarity to support the plight of undocumented students," said Alexis Nava, a member of the Orange County Dream Team, who helped coordinate today's ceremony. "It's a mock graduation to be symbolic, recognition of what students face once they graduate."

The 6 p.m. ceremony in Orange is intended to support the DREAM Act, which would allow undocumented students to apply for legal permanent resident status, protect them from deportation and make them eligible for student loans and federal work study programs.

Students from Cal State Fullerton, Santa Ana College, University of California, Irvine and other nearby higher-education institutions plan to wear caps and gowns and signs -- some reading "What now?"

Some students find themselves without jobs after college due to their legal status, supporters of the bill have said

The Orange County Dream Team is one of several organizations to schedule ceremonies today in Arizona, Los Angeles, North Carolina and the largest in Washington, D.C. The local ceremony will be held at the Teamsters Local 952 Hall in Orange.

The measure faces strong opposition from critics who say the proposed law would reward illegal behavior.

The proposed federal legislation -- introduced by Senators Richard Durbin of Illinois and Richard Lugar of Indiana and Reps. Howard Berman of California and Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida -- has been around since 2000 but has faced opposition and defeat in the past.

All local congress members except for Loretta Sanchez oppose the measure and say they'd vote it down if it were to reach the floor.

The bill would let illegal-immigrant students who finish at least two years of college or military service apply for legal status. Students would need to have lived here at least five years and have arrived before they were 16.

Supporters say the bill will not likely be introduced again as a stand-alone piece of legislation. Instead the proposed law will most likely become part of a comprehensive immigration reform package that could be introduced as early as fall of this year.

A poll of Orange County Register online readers found that 78 percent of readers opposed the Dream Act.

Contact the writer: ccarcamo@ocregister.com or 949-553-2906

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/stud ... ty-college

Oh How Cute!!

I'm sure Obama will send them a check too!

'cause he sure won't be sending birth control!

ORANGE It's "graduation day" for students who are in the country illegally and who say they want a pathway to residency and a chance for a better life.

Then they need to get on the next thing rolling or flying to their country of origin, that is their "pathway to Citizenship and a better life". It sure isn't here in the USA!!

Wished I lived nearby, I would be passing out admission forms to National Autonomous University of Mexico.