Students wearing white masks and carrying signs with messages such as “Don’t deny dreams” rallied in support of the Federal DREAM Act on Monday afternoon on Bruin Walk.
The Federal Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, which is currently under review by committees in both the House and Senate, would provide a path to legalization for undocumented high school students who graduate with a college degree or who serve in the armed forces.
It is a path that participants said would allow thousands of students to make use of their college degree.
“As a student with the equal opportunity to achieve an education … we are trying, as undocumented students, to become part of this society, but for reasons outside of our control, we can’t,” said Ignacia Rodriguez, co-chair of IDEAS at UCLA, an organization that offers support for undocumented students.
Currently, the University of California application does not require students to specify their citizenship. The DREAM Act would not provide any federal financial assistance to undocumented students, which is a common misconception, said Rodriguez.
Instead, students who attend a university or who serve for two years in the military can apply for legalization.
The demonstration was organized by the Alliance of Dreams, which includes almost 20 campus organizations such as IDEAS, Bruin Democrats, Samahang Pilipino and Christian Students of Conscience.
These groups form a coalition that is a testament to the increased support from students who are not necessarily undocumented, said second-year political science student Sofia Campos, who is undocumented.
Campos said the demonstration was also a way to help break down the stereotype of undocumented students as being primarily of Latino descent.
“A lot of these students live in fear. They fear being caught. They fear disclosing that part of their identity just because it’s so taboo, and there’s so much anti-immigrant sentiment out there, they feel they’re going to be persecuted for it,” Rodriguez said.
She also said she estimates that about 40 to 45 percent of undocumented students are Pacific Islanders, and said that often, these students are even more afraid of publicly stating they are undocumented.
Rodriguez said that the current immigration system can take several years for students who had no control over their status, thus leaving them victims of a broken system. For Campos, this is a reality that set in when she learned her immigration status while applying for college.
She said that while several members of her family have become residents or citizens, it may take several years to finally make it through the process. By then, she said, she will have attained her degree, but will be unable to fully utilize it.
Still, she said she recognizes that she can at least apply.
“I’m still waiting. But I have the privilege of being able to wait, like, two or three years before getting my legalization. These students don’t. They don’t have that,” she said.
She said that for many undocumented college students, finding out about their immigration status often came too late ““ after they had already been accepted at a university. Then, she said, it can be a harsh reality to face.
“You can’t get any financial aid, you can’t get any help from anybody, and you’re so limited you can’t even drive to school,” she said. “It takes a huge toll on you physically and mentally.”
Others looked at the issue in economic terms, adding that it would be unwise to not allow students to fully partake in the country.
“They’re college-educated people, why would we want to send them out?” said fourth-year international development studies student Natalie Price. “It’s only advantageous to us to have them working and improving our economy and our country.”