Mock Graduation Takes Aim at HB 56

Video at link.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)- The controversey grows as more people rally against House Bill 56, the law giving Alabama the toughest immigration laws in the country. Many are high school students who see their dreams of a college education being squashed by legislation because they are undocumented immigrants.

"You see many different students from all across the south, from Alabama, and from other states, who are here today because they also dream of one day being able to go to college," says Victor Spezzini, an organizer for HICA. Jose Perez is one of the students affected by the bill, and he sees it as an attack on his civil rights. "As students we deserve the right to go to college and HB 56 prevents us, it denies us the right to attend college, even though we've worked so hard in school," he says.

A mock graduation was the method of choice at Kelly Ingram Park Saturday night, a place that was built to honor the civil rights struggle during the last century.

"Every single year that the Dream Act doesn't pass these students are graduating. So, it's another class of graduating students who although the wish to contribute to the country, they cannot because they're still undocumented," says Julieta Garibay, a board member for the group "United We Dream."

If the law stands, it will go into effect on September 1st.

http://www.cbs42.com/mostpopular/story/ ... G4_ZQ.cspx