As part of the Latina/Latino Heritage Month, an advocacy workshop titled "Struggling to Learn, Educando con Restricciones" took place on Oct. 18 at Baruch College. The event addressed current issues undocumented students in US colleges and universities face in their daily lives. Lambda Pi Upsilon Sorority, Latinas Poderosas Unidas, Inc hosted the event. Walter Barrientos, a Baruch alumnus who works with the New York State Youth Leadership Council (YLC) conducted the workshop. YLC is a network of advocacy groups committed to the advancement of immigrant students.
"Struggling to Learn" was devoted to legal issues surrounding illegal immigrants in the US education system. Introduced by Senator Durbin (D-IL), Hagel (R-NE), and Lugar (R-IN), the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, DREAM Act, is a bipartisan legislation that would allow illegal immigrants to earn legal status by enrolling in college or entering the military for two years. The proposed amendment is narrowly tailored to benefit illegal immigrants who have come to the United States at the age of 15 or younger, have lived here for at least five years, graduated from a U.S. high school or have a GED and maintained good moral character.
Since it was first proposed six years ago, DREAM Act has had overwhelming bipartisan support from the House and the Senate. However, legislation such as the Dream Act is not easily passed. Anti-illegal immigration groups such as NumbersUSA and Americans for Legal Immigration PAC have been instrumental in helping defeat immigration reforms. Due to a possible vote on Dream Act, they have put out a nation-wide campaign calling it "Amnesty". These groups acknowledge that students should not been put in such circumstances, but they blame their parents. Sophomore, Juan Adorno said that one should not suffer the consequences of their parents' actions. "The parent's immigration is a barrier to the children's education," he said.
Barrientos said that Every year, about 65,000 undocumented students graduate from U.S. high schools. Many of these students eligible for legal residency under the Dream Act are over-achievers. These include an increasing number of valedictorians, class presidents, athletes, artists and honor-roll students who aspire to become teachers, doctors, lawyers, and U.S. soldiers. Most work twice as hard as an average student just hoping that their academic credentials would help them adjust their status. "It just seems like a waste of money;" that is, it would be counterproductive to deny students access to jobs or college education, an audience member implied. According to the Census Bureau, an average college graduate earns about $1 million more in his lifetime than the average high school dropout.
During high school, a 20-year-old Dream Act student from New Jersey, who wished to remain anonymous, worked 60 hours a week to support his family. He graduated high school with distinction and currently studying accounting at Baruch. His future is uncertain, as he contemplates immigrating to Canada just to put his degree to some use. His only hope is the passage of the Dream Act, which would free him to fully contribute to the only country he has known. Barrientos contends that the CUNY system has one of the larger percentages of undocumented students. "It would be very beneficial to many students who are denied access to higher education today because of their legal status in the country," Baruch College President Kathleen Waldron said supporting the Dream Act legislation.
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