DREAM Act put on hold again, University officials say they support it

The DREAM Act, an acronym for “Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors,” aims to give young, undocumented residents in the United States a path toward gaining legal status in this country through either military service or a college education.

But on Sept. 21 in Washington, senators voted against the bill for the second time. And even with bipartisan support, revisions and compromises, the DREAM Act is still struggling to become law.

A version of the bill was first introduced by U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, in 2001, but the bill never found enough support to pass. Hatch himself voted against bringing the most recent version of the bill to the floor last week, objecting to other provisions in the larger Defense Authorizations bill, including a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal.

U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind, also supports the DREAM Act and is a co-sponsor of the current bill, but he too voted against the Defense Authorizations bill.

One might blame the bill’s defeat on partisan politics, but Tara Fleming, press secretary for the IU College Republicans, said she believes the issue goes beyond that.

“In my opinion, this particular piece of legislation is neither a Democratic nor a Republican issue,” said Fleming in an e-mail. “We all know something has to be done with the millions of illegal immigrants who are already here. Although I realize it has its flaws, the DREAM Act is a good start.”

Some IU officials have expressed support for the DREAM Act, including IU President Michael McRobbie. In May, McRobbie wrote a letter to Lugar advocating the DREAM Act.

“Enacting the DREAM Act would truly open the door to a better life for thousands of individuals who were born elsewhere but now consider the United States their home,” McRobbie said in the letter.

McRobbie also noted that his own experience helps inform his position on the issue.
“You will understand that as an immigrant to this country myself, I am acutely aware of the importance and validity of this argument,” McRobbie said.

Director of La Casa Latino Cultural Center Lillian Casillas pointed out that as far as academics go, undocumented students are usually very motivated.

“We always talk about brain drain in Indiana. We have these wonderful [undocumented] students here, and they’re more committed, even more than some U.S. students,” Casillas said.

Sophomore Alicia Nieves, a member of the IU advocacy group DREAM IU, believes the DREAM Act has struggled as legislation because the people it would help have little voice in national politics.

“Undocumented people do not hold much sway in the political process, especially because they cannot vote. It’s hard for politicians who make decisions on the basis of whether it will give them more electoral votes to see this as an advantageous move,” Nieves said in an e-mail.

The IU Office of International Services mostly supports international students and employees who have come to the U.S. specifically to work or study at IU. But in frequently dealing with students’ immigration statuses, occasionally an undocumented student will come forward looking for guidance.

Rendy Schrader, director of International Student and Scholar Advising, said the few undocumented students who do consult International Services visit because they want to know their options.

“Once in a while, you get someone who’s desperate to learn ‘What are the immigration regulations? What do I need to do?’” Schrader said.

Schrader said she believes the biggest obstacle to a college education facing undocumented students is the ability to support themselves financially.

“They go through the process, and then they find out they can’t get any financial aid,” Schrader said. “It’s just so frustrating that you’ve got these great minds that are literally stuck. They can’t technically work in the U.S., so how on Earth are they supposed to pay for their education?”

Nieves added that a student’s uncertainty about their residency status can compound
problems.

“What is tragic about the struggles of undocumented youths is that many don’t become aware of their unauthorized status until the last years of high school,” Nieves said. “By the time of graduation, it becomes clear that they will not have access to the same opportunities as their classmates.”

Despite the numerous obstacles in front of undocumented students, Casillas still wants them to think seriously about going to college.

“I do talks about college in workshops, and I tell the high school advisors to encourage undocumented students to attend the workshops,” Casillas said.

The DREAM Act has plenty of supporters from both sides of the aisle in Washington, but last week’s vote was yet another setback in nine years of rejection. It seems inevitable that the DREAM Act will come up again in either the House or the
Senate.

The question is, can bipartisan support for the bill translate into bipartisan approval?
Schrader hoped so.

“The children — and I think that’s what the DREAM Act is all about — are victims. They’re stuck here. They have no home country. I mean, in their minds, this is their home country,” he said.