Being an undocumented student in the U.S is literally being cursed for being born outside the country because one will find virtually all doors to the American Dream closed. Apparently working hard, graduating from high school, living here mostly a whole life, and the desire to become someone successful and contribute to this country is not enough in the eyes of the opponents to the Dream Act to qualify for neutralization. All aspirations and hopes for a better future vanish when one finds out that it’s impossible to attend a university or find a job because proof of citizenship is required. All AB 540 students experience this situation and the Dream Act is the solution to stop these sufferings. The Dream Act is a bill that was first introduced in the senate in 2001 and has been reintroduced several times but has not been successful. This bill would provide AB 540 students conditional permanent residency, allow them to qualify for some federal and state financial assistance, and after completing certain strict requirements they would soon be able to apply for their citizenship. The Dream Act should be passed not only to be fair to AB 540 students, but for the benefit of our economy, baby boomers, and the future of the United States.
The Dream Act establishes a rigorous process for AB 540 students and they must meet several strict requirements. This means that not all undocumented students would qualify; only the fortunate, the brightest and overachievers would qualify. Generally “they must prove that they came to the United States before the age of 16, have lived here for at least five years, do not have a criminal record, are not removable from the country and possess good moral character” (Duncan A.19"). These students mus...
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Valenzuela utilizes various compilations of research to construct her exceptional argument regarding the issue of subtractive schooling with regards to 2nd generational immigrant students. She thoroughly analyzes and assesses the multitude of differences between 1st generation and 2nd generation students and their affinity for education. She divides the topic into 3 categories and asserts how each one adds to the issue of inadequate education for Mexican/Mexican-American students in the US public school system. Her research is conducted at Seguin (pseudonym) High School in Houston, Texas. She examines the effects of substandard education in regards to the students and their academic performance. She uses quantitative and qualitative research
Imagine a world with an educated youth. Now imagine a parallel world where children are fighting to keep a smile on their faces, because, in truth, it is the only thing they have. In reality, this is what is happening. Youth, who have the privilege to be American citizens, are granted a very fulfilling education with a promise of a career. Children of illegal and undocumented immigrants do not have such luck. Some undocumented children in America have very promising futures and even a degree under their belts, but they cannot apply for a job because they have no proof of citizenship. A controversial topic is the matter of the DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education, for Alien Minors) which permits undocumented immigrants to obtain citizenship and later get a job. Is this topic really a law… or a lifestyle? Should we really be arguing on the matter of life or death?
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Latino immigrants in the U.S. tend to have the highest dropout rates within the school system. Though, the aggregate statistics goes beyond students’ poor performance, there are many factors that can influence students to make the choice to quit school; for this essay, I will use Critical Race Theory and labeling theory to help me deconstruct the reasons behind this phenomenon, using example 1 of section I.
Taking U.S citizens rights away or is it just an opportunity to illegal aliens? This is one of the many arguments people have been stating about the dream act. This program was passed to help illegal immigrants grow in education. It was not to acquire U.S citizen’s rights, in fact it was passed because many immigrants want to give back to the country that has offered them many things. This program also known as DACA was proposed by the president Barack Obama and has been applied to many illegal immigrants since 2010. It is an aid for immigrant students that want to go top college and stay in school. Being part of the Dream Act is not giving illegal aliens U.S citizen’s rights, it is allowing young immigrants to have the opportunity to get an education and succeed in life.
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After about twelve years of the DREAM Act floating around in congress, many people on both sides of the issue are unsure of what will happen. For some, the fact that it has been around for long without much progress means that the DREAM Act will not pass. On the other side of this issue, the dreamers, continue fighting to keep the DREAM Act alive, so that all the immigrant students can continue to post secondary education, and not have to stop their education at the end of 12th grade. These young immigrants were brought here when they were younger and have lived in the United States most of their life. They are known as dreamers because many of them cannot continue their education due to the barriers placed on them because of their undocumented status. Those who wish to continue to a post secondary education have to pay higher out-of-state tuition rates. The passing of the DREAM Act will provide a path to legalization for educated and dedicated individuals who will continue to contribute a lot to the U.S. economy and in many other ways. The majority of undocumented students were brought to the U.S. when they were small children, and they “should be allowed to have the chance to stay in the country call home” (Bennion).
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Larissa Martinez, a high school graduate, revealed she was an undocumented immigrant in her high school valedictorian speech. She talked about how many undocumented immigrants will not have the chance to attend education beyond secondary school. Martinez mentions that “school became her safe haven because… that might be the only way to help [her] family” (The Dallas Morning News, 2016, 4:28). Not only do Americans look for social mobility through education, but immigrants do as well. Fortunately, Martinez can attend college through college funds, but many students in her situation do not have the means to get a college education because they do not have the money to afford it. People like Larissa struggle daily to achieve the “American Dream,” but fall short when pursuing a college education which they cannot afford or
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