The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has praised the House of Representatives for passing the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. “I commend the House of Representatives for their courageous and historic vote to give undocumented young persons a chance to reach their full, God given potential,” said Archbishop Jose Gomez, coadjutor archbishop of Los Angeles and chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration.
Even in the face of adversity, students won't stop dreaming.
Political pundits have speculated the DREAM Act will not garner the 60 votes needed to pass the Senate, but students said the House vote was enough motivation to continue advocating for the bill, regardless of the final outcome.
Our efforts are definitely going to get ramped up if it doesn't pass this time."
Student organizations, including the Student Government Association, Latino Student Union and Asian American Student Union, have devoted this semester to rallying student support behind the DREAM Act, hopeful their initiatives would allow their voices to be heard in Washington.
When the SGA voted to approve a resolution that demonstrated student support of the DREAM legislation, Cohen was the only dissenting vote.
For students outside of the organization, the SGA vote was a pivotal moment.
AASU Vice President of Advocacy Camden Lee, a senior American studies major, then hand-delivered the cards to the offices of the state's senators, Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin.
Many students said the House vote is a result of renewed pressure by students around the country this year — over the summer, thousands of undocumented students and supporters converged on the National Mall to demonstrate their unyielding support of the controversial legislation.
"I think this shows that representatives are really taking notice of students, and it shows that when we work together, we show them that we really care about these issues," said journalism legislator Michelle Chan, who wrote the SGA resolution. Andre Beasley, a member of the SGA and College Democrats, who co-sponsored the bill, said Republican gains in last month's midterm elections won't deter students' hopes.
Robert Koulish, a government and politics professor who specializes in immigration issues, said although the bill's chances of passing the Senate are unlikely, the DREAM Act is a piece of legislation that needs continued advocacy to become law.
Senate Democrats have temporarily pulled the DREAM Act from consideration because they do not have enough votes to pass the measure.
The DREAM Act, if passed, would offer new paths to citizenship for illegal immigrants who entered the United States before age 16.
Supporters of the bill, which include President Barack Obama and most liberal lawmakers, believe that it would offer legal status for young people who have served the country. It is unlikely Senate Democrats will get the Republican votes needed to pass the legislation.
The American Legion, a veterans' organization, has urged Senators to stop the DREAM Act from passing.
