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Associated Students of the University of Washington |
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A Resolution in Support of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act Whereas in the United States it is estimated that 65,000 undocumented students graduate from U.S. high schools each year yet they cannot pursue a higher education due to the barriers posed by current immigration laws; and Whereas, currently there are undocumented students at the University of Washington and current federal law offers no financial support in which undocumented students encounter limited educational or professional opportunities after they graduate from UW; and Whereas this legislation will allow undocumented students who have grown up in the United States for the majority of their lives to attain temporarily legal status and eventually obtain permanent residency and become eligible for citizenship if they go to college or serve in the U.S. military; and Whereas this bill will eliminate provision that penalizes states that provide in-state tuition without regard to immigration statues, and currently it is estimated that only 5-10% of the graduated undocumented high school students attend college; and Whereas this will guarantee equal educational opportunity to undocumented students who came to this country at age 15 or younger in which many successfully graduate with top honors, earning admission to prominent universities yet they cannot attend them; and Whereas undocumented students do not deprive native-born students of college admission slots or Financial Aid because they make a small percent of the population according to a study done by the Immigration Policy Center; and Whereas this is an issue that is not solely posed within the Latina/o community, but is also important to undocumented immigrants from Asia, Africa, and Europe; and Whereas in 2006, the Associated Students of University of Washington passed R-12-37, a Resolution in Support of Immigrant and Human Rights where it states “THAT we support the DREAM Act at the National level, which will allow students to legalize their status, allowing them to further contribute to this country and its tax base as educated people in the workforce; therefore, Whereas if the legislation is passed, this would have a life changing impact on undocumented students and their communities; and BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON: THAT we support the Resolution in Support of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act in which undocumented students will have the opportunity to go to into higher education; and THAT we support legislation such as H.B. 1079, which was passed in the State of Washington in 2003 that has allowed many undocumented students who never would have had the opportunity to go to college, to attend school, including the University of Washington, while paying in-state tuition; and THAT the ASUW opposes any legislation that condemns undocumented students from pursuing a higher education; and THAT this resolution be forward to the senators, representatives, and the governor of the State of Washington. 1.The DREAM Act is available at http://rs9.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:S.774: History of Legislation 10/12/2007: Submitted for consideration |
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