Friday, March 24, 2006

Houston Rally - Saturday 3/25/06

For Release: Saturday, March 25, 2006
For more information and on-site contact: Julita Rincon, 832.298.3404 or Donajih R. Robles, 832.455.4074


March for a DREAM, organized by JIFM (Jovenes Inmigrantes Por Un Futuro Mejor/ Young Immigrant For A Better Future), is a call for immigrant student rights and for the enactment of the DREAM Act.

"Walk for a DREAM"

Where: Chestnut St. & Henry St./Near "Northside" by Jeff Davis High School (1101 Quitman Houston, TX 77009), proceeding to the University of Houston-Downtown (1 Main St.) where we will end with a rally (12:30-2 pm). Left side, UH-D's free speech platform.

(more below the fold)

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Thousands of young people from immigrant families have grown up here, stayed in school, and kept out of trouble. Each year about 65,000 U.S.-raised students have graduated from high school, with a desire to go onto college. But many of them are faced with unique barriers to higher education because of their legal status.

However, the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act is the bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and Richard Lugar (R-IN) that will be able to address those issues.

Unfortunately, because under the current law, many of these young people derive their immigration status solely from their parents. When parents are undocumented or in immigration limbo, their children are in limbo with no mechanism in obtaining legal residency.

DREAM Act
Under the DREAM Act, once a student graduates from high school, he or she would be allowed to apply for conditional status, which would authorize them up to 6 years of legal residence.

Permanent residence would be granted at the end of the 6-year period if the student has continued to maintain good moral character and has met one of these requirements:

  • graduate from a 2-year college,
  • complete at least 2 years towards a 4-year degree, or
  • serve in the U.S. military for at least 2 years.
The DREAM Act would also eliminate a federal provision that discourages states from providing in-state tuition to their undocumented immigrant student residents, thus restoring full authority to the states to determine state college and university fees.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just read this following quote while reading a story on Yahoo...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060419/ap_on_re_us/immigration_boycott_2

""If immigrants continue demonstrating in large numbers, are they going to fire all of them?" said Julita Rincon, 21, an illegal immigrant and University of Houston student who leads a student activist organization"

Now, let's look at this.

You're talking about immigrants. Well, I happen to welcome ANY immigrant from ANY country. However, I expect them to do it LEGALLY! The fact that you're here ILLEGALLY, and going to University (which my child can't afford to go to, and he's a US CITIZEN) absolutely disgusting. I'd be willing to bet my 401k, and everything I own that you're going there on the back of the U.S. taxpayer, meanwhile you're telling them how racist they are.

Here's a clue. If you want to see a racist, a bigot, a xenophobe....look in the mirror.

Anonymous said...

Dear Migra,

I recently learned of your website while researching an article I read on Yahoo regarding the possible May 1st boycott. It referred to Julita Rincon as an illegal immigrant and UH student. I hold two degrees from UH and am now considering burning them in protest against UH admission policies. I fully support legal immigration and all it's inherent rights. I strongly oppose illegal immigration however, and am baffled by your attempt to blur the lines. I'm sure you'll just dismiss me as another racist white male, but you should be very careful. According to the 2000 census whites still make up 70% of the U.S. population, so if you want to awaken the sleeping giant, both at the polls and in the streets, go ahead, make our day.

Sincerely,
Ross, formerly proud UH alumni