Students gathered in Meyerhoff Park Wednesday to rally in support of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, which is to be reintroduced in Congress next week.
The act, commonly referred to as the DREAM Act, was first brought to Congress four years ago and would allow students who were brought into the United States illegally by their parents to become legal citizens even if their parents are undocumented, said Marielena Hincapie, a staff attorney and director of programs for the Los Angeles National Immigration Law Center, a legal institution that assists low-income immigrants.
The bill has been delayed in Congress because of its controversial nature.
While opponents argue that undocumented immigrants should not be rewarded by becoming citizens, proponents say the DREAM Act provides a path for legalizing children who immigrated because of their parents.
Obtaining legal status is important to undocumented students because without it they cannot get financial aid for college tuition, Hincapie said.
“We call it the DREAM Act because it will allow students to take advantage of the American dream,” Hincapie said. “Often (undocumented) students face a dead end. They can’t continue on to college though they may be valedictorians, because they aren’t eligible for financial aid.”
Undocumented students can attend college and receive degrees, but often the cost prevents them from doing so, said Gregory Cendana, internal vice president for the Undergraduate Students Association Council.
“They aren’t able to take out financial aid, and they have to take out more loans and work more hours. It affects their schoolwork,” Cendana added.
Heather Gonzalez, the committee whip of Bruin Republicans, said though the concept of granting legal status to undocumented students is interesting, she said she believes it encourages more illegal immigrants to cross the border so their children may later receive the same benefits.
“The children will get the legal status and all the benefits that come with it, but it won’t do anything to address the problem that illegal immigrants are coming and starting significant problems to our country,” Gonzalez said.
Similar rallies were held at other college campuses throughout California in the past two days to increase awareness of the act, said Matias Ramos, the project director of UCLA student group Improving Dreams, Equality, Access and Success.
If the bill is passed, undocumented students will have to meet certain criteria, such as having proof of arrival in the U.S. before the age of 16 and having no criminal record, in order to be eligible for legal status under the act, according to the National Immigration Law Center.
Students must then enroll in a college or the military and attend for two years in good standing, without failing or becoming inactive, before officially becoming a permanent resident. During these two years, students would be able to obtain a Social Security number and receive financial aid.
Hincapie said she believes the bill is taking so long to pass because immigration is currently a very controversial topic.