Illegal immigrant students in Chicago say they are encouraged by talk of passing federal legislation to allow thousands of young people who attend college or join the military become legal U.S. residents.
Reyna Wences, 19, says if the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act – DREAM Act for short – passes, her future can be decided.
Wences has had to drop out of the University of Illinois at Chicago because she doesn’t qualify for financial aid. Her parents brought her from Mexico when she was a child.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) wants to add the immigration measure to a defense policy bill.
Several advocacy groups in Illinois and across the country are calling on voters to contact their representatives to support the DREAM Act.
“This important piece of legislation would improve the economy, bolster our national defense, and create positive momentum towards comprehensive immigration reform,” the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights says on its Web site.
In a news release from the Immigrant Youth Justice League, students said the Dream ACT would benefit the country as a whole.
“I want the chance to prove that my birthplace does not affect my ability to change the world, to fix what I see is wrong,” Cindy Agustin, 21, said in a news release.
But some Republicans oppose the bill, accusing Reid of playing politics. Conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation says the DREAM Act encourages people to break the law.
“Granting an amnesty for illegal immigrants will encourage more illegal immigration, making the problem even worse,” the Heritage Foundation says on its Web site. “Congress needs to look toward an immigration system that enforces rule of law, maintains security, and promotes the economy. Such a system can be achieved by robustly enforcing immigration laws, securing the border, reforming the visa system, and working with Mexico and other appropriate countries on law enforcement/public safety issues as well as free market initiatives.”
Yet some military leaders support the DREAM Act because of the recruitment potential.
Later Monday, Wences and other activists have planned a downtown rally. They will hold a news conference supporting the DREAM Act while two students will attempt to enlist in the Air Force at the recruiting office in the Kluczynski Federal Building, 230 S. Dearborn St.
Afterward, they plan to march to Illinois Republican Headquarters at 205 W. Randolph St., where they will hold an overnight vigil.