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Immigrants Rally For Reform At Forum In Jackson Heights

by Ron Brownlow, Western Queens Editor October 20, 2005

Life got a lot harder after September 11th for Moni Alam, a 35-year-old undocumented immigrant. New rules at the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles made it impossible for her to renew her driver’s license. That in turn made it impossible, among other things, for her to obtain health insurance for herself and her two sons, both of whom have asthma.

But life will get a whole lot worse when her husband, a 40-year-old livery cab driver, has to renew his driver’s license. He won’t be able to, either. He will then lose his job, and his family will lose its only source of income.

“We’re a part of this country’s economy too, but we’re not being treated like human beings.â€? said Alam, an organizer for DRUMâ€â€