NY BOARD OF REGENTS COMES OUT IN SUPPORT OF STATE TUITION ASSISTANT TO ALL IMMIGRANT STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS

 

 

TUESDAY. NOV,16TH 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Merryl H. Tisch, Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents, and John B. King, Jr, State Education Department Commissioner, joined by immigrant groups and allies, declared their support to expand the State TuitionAssistance Program (TAP) to all immigrant students regardless of immigration status. Recently the NYS Board of Regents also announced their support  for the federal DREAM Act, a legislation that has been sitting in US Congress for over 10 years.

 

This is a big step for undocumented youth in our state that confront huge challenges when attending college, due to their lack of financial aid and status. New York State is one of 13 states that provide in-state tuition to undocumented students who meet certain requirements. With this new bill, undocumented youth will benefit from state financial aid. Undocumented students will then have more opportunities to achieve their careers and our state will be having greatcontributions as results. NewYork has approximately 200,000 undocumented students, these are students that were brought to this country by their parents or relatives and now face a reality that they did not ask for, to be undocumented.

 

We are grateful and applaud the NYS Board of Regents for this initiative and for recognizing the great talents and potential that undocumented students in NY possess, talent that shouldn't be wasted and contribution that our state needs. The tuition rates for students are extremely high and for an undocumented student who can't receive any help is almost impossible to afford college.

 

This will open an opportunity for the state to have more professional people and it will enormously decrease the drop outs of immigrant students in high schools as well in colleges. In the next weeks a state proposal legislation will be introduce. We hope that our legislators support this legislation and vote in favor of it. If this legislation passes we will be one step closer to allow undocumented immigrant students to fully contribute to our communities and economy. This will lighten the path for undocumented students to follow their dreams.

 

 

 

 -LIISA

Five things you can do to support the DREAM Act

If you wish to support the DREAM Act, you can do so by doing the following.

1-Make a phone call or send a letter to your Representatives. Urge them to support and take leadership on the DREAM Act now.
Example message "Hi my name is ______I am calling to urge my Representative/ Senator_____to take leadership and support the DREAM Act, a bill that will benefit immigrant youth of good moral character and will provide them a chance to make great contribution to our economy"

2-Sign these petitions.
         http://action.dreamactivist.org/write_to_congress/
    -To support the NY DREAM Act, sign this petition to Gov,Cuomo.
         http://action.dreamactivist.org/nydreamact/

3- Host us for an event at your school, organization, religious group or any other community group.

4-Get active, join us! If you live in Long Island New York, you can become our member and help organize events in favor of the DREAM Act. If you don't live in Long Island New York but wish to get involve please contact us, there are youth groups all over the country working for the passage of this important bill.

5-Start your own group at your school and help get more youth active and spread the word on DREAM Act. If you wish to start a group at your school, please contact us.

We still see light at the end of the tunnel

This week we have great news from California. California Gov, Brown Signed second half of CA DREAM Act.
We congratulate CA Dreamers and activists, for their great work on advocating, making this a victory. This law gives access to undocumented students to state grants and scholarships. When many states are approving anti immigrant legislations, we still see hope when positive actions like this, are taken by other states. Alabama the most recent state to passed the cruelest law against immigrants, which require schools to check for their students grade K-12, immigration status. We must say that this will widely and negatively impact Alabama's economy and schools. News articles show, how students are leaving schools and families are leaving their homes. But we must emphasize that hate and injustice will not prevail, we stand stronger until we see justice for our brothers and sisters.
We thank California Gov, Brown for having the courage and sign this important law.

For more info on CA DREAM Act read this article:
 http://nysiaf.org/2011/10/08/gov-jerry-brown-signs-cal-dream-act/

BREAKING NEWS: Nadia's Deportation has been suspended!

Thanks for signing the petition and making phone calls to stop Nadia's deportation. According to the New York State Youth Leadership Council, Nadia's deportation was cancel! Nadia came to the US when she was just one year old with her mother. Now she is a student at Stony Brook University.

Photo By. NYS Youth Leadership Council.

Take action NOW! to help stop deportation of Dreamers!

Please help stop Nadias' and her mother's deportation. Please follow the link and sign the peition.
http://action.dreamactivist.org/nadia

Help stop Grabiela's deportation. Sign the petition.
http://wfc2.wiredforchange.com/o/8496/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8156

Help Stop Matias deportation, please add your signature to the petition.
http://wfc2.wiredforchange.com/o/8496/p/dia/action/public/;jsessionid=0296899814DC25E57486F2F5A15D6ABD-n3?action_KEY=8164


Please share it with your Network.

Thank you for your help and support!

-LIISA

New York DREAM Act

New York DREAM Act

Is a bill introduced in 2011 by state Senator Perkins, if passes would benefit approximately 200,000 undocumented students living in New York State. This bill seeks to allow “Dreamers” undocumented students to fulfill their dreams and their careers in the state of New York. It will also strengthen our communities by having more professionals residents in the States.

Requirements:

-          Have graduated from a high school or obtained a GED in New York

-          Have entered the United States at before the age of 18

-          Be 35 years of age or under

-          Have good moral character, meaning no felony convictions

-          Have resided in New York State for at least two years prior to enactment of the legislation

-          Enroll in a college or university in the state of New York

Benefits:

-          Access to state funded financial aid programs, including grants, loans and scholarships

How can you support the Dream Act and NY DREAM Act?

Call and send letters to your state Legislators TODAY! 
For more info. go to http://www.nydreamact.org/


Get involve, join our movement!

We are focus on advocating for equal access to education for all immigrant students regardles of immigration status.

 Contact us and join us on Facebook!

The DREAM Act

The DREAM Act  

What is the Dream Act? The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, is a bill introduced in 2001 by Senator Durbin, if passed, would allow undocumented students who were brought to the US at a younger age up to 6 years of legal residence and later  the path to citizenship.

Requirements: During those 6 years, the student would need to graduate from a 2 years college or complete 2 years toward a 4 year degree or serve in the military for at least 2 years.

Benefit: Permanent residency will be granted if the above requirements are met and student maintain good moral character.

How does a student qualify?                                             

1-      The student must have been in the U.S at least 5 years before the bill passes.

2-      The Student must have been in the U.S at the age of 15 or younger.

3-      The student must graduate from a U.S high school or receive a G.E.D.

4-      A student must demonstrate good moral character. Students would not qualify if they have criminal record.

Fats: Approximately 65, 000 students graduate from U.S high school each year who have been in the U.S more than 5 years but face limited prospects for completing their education or working legally in the U.S because they were brought here at a younger age without immigration documents.

Approximately 50,000 undocumented students are currently enrolled in higher education institutions across the U.S who are eligible for the Dream Act. They are educating themselves in hope of the Dream Act so they can legalize their status and pursue their dreams. Only a small fraction of undocumented immigrant students who graduate from high school go to college.

How can you support the Dream Act and NY DREAM Act?

Call and send letters to your Senators and State Legislators!

Get involve, join our movement!

If you live in Long Island, New York and wish to get involve with us please contact

 Osman Canales.

 smn_canales@yahoo.com