Rally and Press Conference for the NY DREAM Act

This is the year for New York State to support higher education for all immigrant students. For years our federal government has failed to take leadership and pass the DREAM Act. Last year the New York DREAM Act was introduced. This legislation would benefit undocumented students who meet its rigorous requirements.  Across the country there are over 2 million undocumented students who, due to their immigration status, cannot fully contribute to this country that they call home. New York State is home to over 200,000 or 10% of undocumented students who would be eligible for the DREAM Act. Join us to demand action from our state government to pass the New York DREAM Act this year!

WHAT: Join us for a Rally and Press Conference for the New York DREAM Act

WHO: Long Island Immigrant Students Association, Student Organization of Latinos and community leaders

WHEN: Thursday, February 16Th, 2012. From 11:30AM - 12:30PM

WHERE: Outside Nassau County Community College (Union Building)

COME AND SUPPORT IMMIGRANT STUDENTS!

Note: LIISA is also mobilizing people to go to Albany to lobby for the NY DREAM Act,

                                                             March 14Th, 2012.

For more information, contact Osman Canales: 631-888-4300   smn_canales@yahoo.com.

NYS IN-STATE TUITION

Most of state require for an undocumented student to pay double tuition. New York is one of near 13 states that have passed a law in favor of undocumented students, that provides them the benefit of paying In-State tuition. In most states undocumented students pay almost double tuition.

There are no federal laws that prohibits admitting undocumented students in universities however school policies on admitting undocumented students are different for each school.  Most private schools will not accept applications from students without a social security number.

SUNY and CUNY schools of New York State- students do not need a social security number. Immigrant students regardless of immigration status can attend and get In-state tuition fees if they meet the NY In-State tuition requirements.

LONG ISLAND: Suffolk County Community College, Nassau County Community College, SUNY Farmingdale and all other SUNY Colleges, you do not need a Social Security number to apply and get In-State Tuition fee.

New York In-State Tuition Requirements

-Attended New York State high school for two or more years and applied to a CUNY or CUNY within five year of receiving your New York State Diploma.

-Or Receiving a GED (Graduate Equivalency Diploma) For a GED from an approved New York State Program and applied to a CUNY or CUNY within five years of receiving your GED.

Important: Ask your college admissions office to check on the in -State Tuition process. Some colleges might ask to fill out a Residency and to sign an affidavit. If you are require to do it, make sure you fill it out, get it sign by a Notary and return it to college admissions office. If you meet any of these requirements make sure you are not getting charge as an international student which means you will be paying double tuition.

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