DREAM Act Update &
Immigration Reform
NASPA Regional V & VI Conference Portland, Oregon
Hidalgo . O . (2010). The New York Times (photograph)
Retrieved, October 31, 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/us/politics/21immig.html
What are things you would like to leave
with today from your time here?
Development, Relief and Education for
Alien Minors (DREAM) Act
 Components of the DREAM Act
 To qualify immigrants must
 Must be between the ages of 12 and 35 at the time the Law is enacted
 Must have arrived in the United States before the age of 16
 Must have resided continuously in the United States for at least five (5)
consecutive years since the date of their arrival
 Must have graduated from a U.S. High School, or obtained a General
Education Diploma GED
Development, Relief and Education for
Alien Minors (DREAM) Act
 Components of the DREAM Act
 To qualify immigrants must
 Must have "Good moral character“
 Must meet the educational or military service requirement within the six
year time period.
 In addition to the temporary Residency, immigrant students who qualify
would also be entitled to apply for student loans and work study, but
would not be eligible for Pell educational grants.
 Termination of benefits
Why the DREAM act?
 65,000 undocumented students graduate from U.S. high
schools each year.
Opposition
• Myth that it will give DREAM candidates (aka “DREAMers”) free
in-state tuition.
• Stereotyping – majority of undocumented people are responsible
for high crime rates. Act gives criminals access to citizenship.
• Its costing tax payers – it isn’t racism (though many references to
this argument refer to Mexicans).
Where does the DREAM Act stand?
 The DREAM act went forward as an amendment to the defense
reauthorization bill
 The package stalled when supporters were unable to get the 60
votes needed to advance the legislation (September, 2010)
 Latest news - Senator Harry Reid, NV, is planning to re-introduce
legislation after the elections
 In order to move forward there needs to be republican support
What does this mean?
 Do you live in a state where laws have been passed to give
undocumented students access to higher education or in a state
where there is no clear path to higher education?
 How does the DREAM Act (or its absences) impact our
campuses and the ways we support undocumented students?
Arizona Senate Bill 1070
 April 23, 2010 signed into state
law by Governor
 Requires a reasonable attempt
be made to determine the
immigration status of a person
during any legitimate contact
 Requires immigration status to
be verified with the federal
government
 Unlawful for any motor vehicle
to stop on a road and attempt to
hire and pick up individuals for
work at another location.
 Requires immigrant unlawfully
present and convicted of a
violation of state or local law to
be transferred immediately to
ICE
 Allows a law enforcement
officer to arrest a person,
without a warrant, if the officer
has probable cause to believe the
person has committed any
public offense that makes the
person removable from the US
Implications of SB 1070
 Police may question anyone they have reasonable suspicion is
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in the US illegally and demand to see their papers.
Law does not define what constitutes reasonable suspicion
and will lead to racial profiling. Anyone looking “reasonably
suspicious” undocumented or not, will be questioned.
Inoculates law enforcement in Arizona against lawsuits from
victims of racial profiling or discriminatory enforcement.
Has inspired copycat bills in 11 other states.
Federal government filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent the law
from being enforced. Currently being heard by the 9th
Circuit Court of Appeals
What are we currently doing as a
Knowledge Community?
 Nationally
 We asked NASPA to reconsider having the national conference
in Phoenix in order to bring SB 1070 to light
 Decision was made to hold the conference in Phoenix
 We facilitated a webinar to provide information to our
membership about how to support undocumented students
 Regionally (V)
 We facilitated a drive-in workshop at Portland State
 Screened “Papers” the documentary
 Invited Dr. Susana Munoz from Iowa State to talk about her research on
undocumented students
What are we currently doing as a
Knowledge Community?
 On our campuses
 Serve as resources
 Facilitate teach-ins about the issue
 Evaluate current policy in regards to students without SS#’s
What are things you would like to leave
with today from your time here?
Questions
Amber Garrison – U of Oregon – amberg@uoregon.edu
Wendy Aleman – Oregon State wendy.aleman@oregonstate.edu
Dr. Joel Perez – George Fox University jperez@georgefox.edu
Oscar Parra – Touro University oscar.parra@tun.touro.edu