Immigrant Student Rights

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Nine years later, we are still DREAMing. Washington, it's time. Pass the DREAM Act Now!

On Tuesday, July 20th, 2010, twenty-one courageous students were arrested for holding sit-ins in Congressional offices on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Risking arrest and deportation, these students acted out with a common purpose: to demonstrate the urgent need to pass the DREAM Act and a solution for all communities. Click here to read the rest of this story and our organizational statement and call to action for the DREAM Act.

In-State Tuition for Undocumented Youth:

When we say that all students deserve a quality education and access to higher education, we mean ALL students, regardless of immigration status. Each year, an estimated 65,000 students graduate from high school nationwide with an uncertain future. Because they lack legal status, in most states (states without legislation allowing undocumented students to pay the in-state tuition rates) undocumented students are considered "international" or "out of state students," which forces them to pay out-of state tuition which is in many cases 3-5 times higher than the in-state. In addition, undocumented students do not qualify for grants, government financial aid or most scholarships. Thus, their chances of continuing their education are slim to none. Shutting the education doors to a whole community is unjust and is forcing them into a second-class citizenship. By preventing generation upon generation of students from going on to college we are wasting needed skills, talent and contributions to our country, harming our own economy and communities.

The fight for tuition equity that will grant undocumented students in-state tuition rates has been waged in multiple states across the country but only 11 states have passed this legislation thus far. Colorado is not one of these states. Padres & Jovenes Unidos is once again gearing up to take this fight head on at the Colorado State Legislature next legislative session 2011.

The DREAM Act:

While tuition equity is a needed piece of legislation that moves our undocumented community a small step forward, it is not the solution. Undocumented students who do make it to college and successfully graduate cannot exercise their degrees as professional because they cannot legally work due to their immigration status. While educational attainment is one piece of the fight, fixing our broken immigration system at the federal level as a means toward permanent legalization is the other piece of the fight for immigrant student rights. For this reason, organizations, groups and youth all across the US have been organizing for passage of the DREAM Act since it was first introduced in 2001.

The DREAM Act is a federal piece of legislation that if passed, would provide a path to legalization to those who: 1) entered the US before the age of 16; 2) graduate from high school or receieve a GED; 3) have a clean criminal record; 4) have been in the US for at least 5 continuous years; and 5) go to college or enter the militarity for at least two years. This path to permanent legal residency is what our undocumented youth need.

Padres & Jovenes Unidos is part of the National United We Dream Coaltion, the national campaign to pass the DREAM Act. Jovenes Unidos has been a leader in the fight for the DREAM Act and tuition equity legislation in Colorado. Most recently, Padres & Jovenes Unidos has also joined the Reform Immigration for America Campaign focused on passing comprehensive immigration reform.

To get involved with our Immigrant Student Rights campaign, contact Julieta Quinonez at (303) 458-6545 or julieta@padresunidos.org