Thread: DREAM Act CUNY TaskForce

http://theword.hunter.cuny.edu/news/news256.html

DREAM Act CUNY TaskForce
Info by Marisol Ramos
Student Coordinator at Hunter
phoenixmetztli@gmail.com


Each year over 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high school with the hope of obtaining higher education. For many, as the first generation of college bound graduates, the opportunity to attend college and pursue their academic careers provides a detour from the poverty and oppression that immigrant families escape each year as they enter the United States. With the anti-immigrant political and cultural environment of this country, however, undocumented students not only encounter living in the permanent underclass but they must also live in constant fear of deportation.

At CUNY alone, which has a long history of providing higher education to immigrant families, there are officially 3,000 undocumented students who are educating themselves with the hope of one day being able to work or perhaps attend graduate school. They are our student leaders and future entrepreneurs already making contributions to our respective communities. Yet, undocumented students do not have the opportunity to advance their careers in the only country that many of them recognize as their only home.

But there is still a glimmer of hope for undocumented students through the passage of the DREAM Act. The DREAM ACT (S.2075) will remove barriers for undocumented students by providing youth who have arrived in this country before the age of 16 and lived here for at least 5 years the opportunity to apply for a conditional permanent residency status as long as he or she has completed at least 2 years of college or military service. The bill which is currently in the Senate needs a strong support by our communities to open the doors to equal education and opportunity for immigrant youth.

As a result, the CUNY Immigrant Student Affairs Committee was created in the University Student Senate to bring organizations and student groups of CUNY together to support the D.R.E.A.M. act. The committee aims to gather the support of Chancellor Goldstein and organize actions in support of the DREAM Act. On Monday, March 27, we are inviting all CUNY students and faculty to Washington D.C. as we rally against the Frist and Sensebrenner bills which will criminalize hard working immigrants and their advocates. Join other student leaders who support the passage of the DREAM Act.

For more information send an email to cunyimmigrantstudentcommittee@gmail.com.

So what? Each year thousands of American students graduate from high school, but they cant afford the opprtunity to attend college. Why in the hell should undocumented students get a free ride?

we are inviting all CUNY students and faculty to Washington D.C. as we rally against the Frist and Sensebrenner bills which will criminalize hard working immigrants and their advocates

They keep forgetting the word illegal!

At CUNY alone, which has a long history of providing higher education to immigrant families, there are officially 3,000 undocumented students who are educating themselves with the hope of one day being able to work or perhaps attend graduate school.

Wow, an open admission of aiding and abetting thousands of illegal aliens. I wonder how much taxpayer funding the school gets?

Only 3,000 in CUNY? I'm surprised it isn't more than that.

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So what? Each year thousands of American students graduate from high school, but they cant afford the opprtunity to attend college. Why in the hell should undocumented students get a free ride?
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it's a crime against the american people that their own people aren't considered worth training-( by corporations/ by the governemnt) while all branches of the goverment cater and disobey United states laws to providde assistance to illegal aliens

I go to a CUNY school. Everyone I talk to has a hard time keeping up with school and work to pay for the school. I am blessed that my parents are willing and able to pay for my education. I will thank them with a nice beachhouse and a Jag in the future.

You are the reason why anti-illegal immigrationists are labelled as racist. You ASSUME I am a Mexican illegal. For one, I am European (Italian) and second I am legal. You are real mature. Get a clue.

And daydreamer, you are the reason why people here get put off and upset. You deliberately post things here to 'stir the pot', knowing you'll manage to raise the ire of everyday people who are frustrated no end by the inaction of our government to respond in ANY meaningful way to the INVASION of illegal aliens occuring at this time.

I'm glad you're legal. I don't care WHERE you're from. Europe, Latin America, Asia, it makes no difference to me. We're here to stop ILLEGAL immigration. As a legal immigrant or son of one, I think it incongruous that you would support the subversion of our laws to benefit lawbreakers, to the detriment of everyone else.

If you are here to help us fight the problem, stop sh*t-stirring and help. If you're here just to sh*t-stir, I ask that you be banned.

I think you are confusing constructive criticism with subversion. I never said legalize illegals, I was just providing my opinon. If I get banned, it shows how unAmerican ALIPAC is. You guys don't have to be so sensitive. Thelma attempted a personal attack, and I responded. Look above at my comments, nothing about legalizing anyone...I just said I know people who go to school who have a hard time paying for school and going to work and I tried to bring in the point of view of someone who GOES to a CUNY school.