MARCH 6: DREAM Act petition launched
The shoestring budget website was up and running and on its way to more than 25,000 signatories. Its new URL is DREAMAct.com and you can still use it as one of the many ways to get connected to the DREAM movement.
MARCH 20-24: The United States Students Association gets DREAMing.
The largest and oldest student-led organization in the nation stood with undocumented students by fighting for our right to an education. While our opposition continues to claim American citizens are hurt by our presence in their schools, hundreds of American students walked the halls of Congress advocating for the DREAM Act and Student Aid Reform. Our very own Juan wrote this report. Sofia from UCLA gave this speech. Our biggest ally in Congress, Dick Durbin from Illinois, was there to welcome the students and encourage them to fight.
MARCH 27: DREAM Act introduced
While the so-called leadership in both houses of Congress failed to recognize the urgency of immigration reform and the crazies in the opposition kept waving the anti-immigrant flag, our biggest advocates were there to once again introduce S. 729: The DREAM Act and H.R. 1751: American Dream Act. A hope was renewed.
MARCH 30: Minutemen for the DREAM Act?
Minutemen President Chris Simcox reacts to the news of introduction by saying he is “not necessarily against†the bill. One of the early signs that anti-immigrant advocates would rather give undocumented youth a narrow path to legal status rather than have them fight for broad change for their whole families. Something to keep in mind as we push for CIR ASAP in 2010.
APRIL 3: Microsoft endorses the DREAM Act
Mac-using Dreamers take a step back. After Bill Gates’ company issues a surprising endorsement of the DREAM Act, it is now cool to use a PC.
APRIL 15: Berkeley Dreamers make it to ABC News
Students – and the chancellor – of the University of California Berkeley were interviewed on this important piece by ABC News.
APRIL 21: College Board issues report, endorses DREAM Act in Capitol Hill
“The growing pool of young adults who lack both adequate educational access to keep them socially mobile and the legal right to work in the United States presents serious problems not only for the students themselves but also for U.S. society as a whole.â€
–Roberto G. Gonzales, Assistant Professor at the University of Washington, who authored the report.
APRIL 22: Dreamers debate in the New York Times
The Room for Debate feature in the NY Times opinion website featured two online DreamActivists standing up against Mark Krikorian from CIS.
Our human rights are a prohibitively high price to pay in the opposition to the bill. We know, because we have been paying it. – Nick, Dream Act Portal
What is American? Who is an American? The lack of a nine-digit Social Security number and a green card does not make me less American in my tastes, values and ambitions. – Prerna, promigrant.org
APRIL 23: UCLA Dreamer in CNN Morning News
My legs were shaking, but the outpour of love from all over made me feel happy I shared my story with the world.