Supporters rally for DREAM Act
BY JAMES GELUSO, Californian staff writer
e-mail: jgeluso@bakersfield.com | Wednesday, Jul 4 2007 10:20 PM

Last Updated: Wednesday, Jul 4 2007 11:09 PM

Adelina doesn't remember Mexico.
Photos:

Photo by Casey Christie

Father John Schmoll, from St. Augustine Church in Lamont says a prayer during the immigration rally Wednesday in Heritage Park.

Photo by Casey Christie

A group gathers around to listen to the prayers of Father John Schmoll, from St. Augustine Church in Lamont during Wednesday's immigration rally at Heritage Park. He was praying for those who have been recently fasting.

Her seven siblings, older and younger, are all American citizens, all born in the United States. But when Adelina's mother was pregnant with her, she went back to Mexico to care for her father, who was having health problems. So Adelina was born in Mexico and didn't return to the United States until she was six months old.

Adelina, who asked that her last name not be used because she is not a legal resident, is turning 24 today. She expects to graduate from California State University, Bakersfield in 2008, and then she wants to become a teacher.

"I had good teachers when I was smaller," she said. "The way children's brains work is amazing to me."

But she doesn't have legal status in the United States, so she has had to work her way through college without any sort of financial aid. For summer classes at Bakersfield College, she is borrowing money from an older brother.

And when she graduates, she probably won't be able to get a job as a teacher.

Adelina is pinning her dreams on the DREAM Act, a proposal that would allow students like her to gain legal residency in the United States.

She doesn't know what she will do if the bill doesn't pass.

"I don't see doing anything else," she said.

For Paola Fernandez, her friend Adelina is a good reason to pass the bill. There aren't enough teachers, she said, and there aren't enough engineers, and students who are qualified to take those jobs aren't allowed to do so.

Both came to a rally at Heritage Park in Bakersfield Wednesday, which was part of a statewide effort by students to push the DREAM Act.

Fernandez was on the third day of a planned eight-day, water-only fast. She and four other Bakersfield residents are fasting for the week, and 14 more were fasting for just July 4.

"Our message is students are starving for immigration reform," she said.

The rally drew about 60 people -- mostly Hispanic, but some not -- who gathered in a circle to tell personal stories, most in English but a few in Spanish.

"There is no way we can stay the way we are," said Carlos Gomez, one of the organizers of the rally. "Immigration reform has to include everyone -- students, laborers, everyone."

Juan Silva, 20, came from Rialto, in San Bernardino County, for the rally. He isn't here legally, but his parents brought him from Mexico when he was 3 years old, he said.

He's now attending community college but can only take two classes at a time because that's all he can afford.

"There's so many obstacles in the way," he said.

The Rev. John Schmoll of St. Augustine Church in Lamont, said he sees people in his congregation who would be helped by the proposal.

"My dream is amnesty for all people," he told the group. "I know it's a long-shot dream, but it's my dream."

He said he thanks God he was born in the United States, and because he was born here he believes he is required to help those who weren't so lucky.

Kern County Republican Party Executive Director Jack Duncan said his party could support something like the DREAM Act, but not until a more pressing issue is resolved.

"We are not going to support any kind of immigration reform until our borders are secure. Once we secure our borders, then we will deal with those who are already here illegally," Duncan said.

"My feeling is the Republican Party, most people in the Republican Party, are willing to deal in a humane manner to those who have been here for many years," he said.

Duncan said Republicans still feel burned by the government's promises to secure the border back in 1986, when amnesty was granted. Because of that, the border has to be secured before any other immigration laws are passed, he said.

DREAM Act

Short for “Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act,â€