Not My World July 16, 2008
Posted by iamashadow in America, ICE, Immigration, art, civil rights, dehumanization, deportation, discrimination, fear, history, human rights, illegal immigrants, illegal immigration, immigrants, picture, politics, race, racial discrimination, racism, undocumented student, undocumented students, white supremacy.add a comment
I found this via Citizen Orange (belonging to Signs of the Times), this picture, as Kyledeb said, is the world where the antis would love to live in. This is not how its going to go down though, or I least I hope not. I think the world is moving to a more progressive side, slowly but surely, we will get there and this picture will not come to pass.
Beaufort County, SC and Operation Surge July 16, 2008
Posted by iamashadow in ICE, Immigration, anxiety, civil rights, cops, dehumanization, deportation, discrimination, fear, human rights, illegal immigrants, illegal immigration, immigrants, justice, law, news, people, race, racial discrimination, racism, thoughts, undocumented student, undocumented students.add a comment
What, now counties? Unlike my other two postings, which consentrated on blaming immigrants for the end of the world, now it is an entire county. It seems like we are moving up. Actually, this is quite scary since this has been the third article of this kind in the last couple of days.
So, what’s going on in South Carolina. Well, the entire state hates us but this county does it with a vengeance. The started something called Operation Surge, which to what I’m reading, it means that all brown people will be arrested and have the documents checked. No, of course there is no racial profiling, who would ever think that!?
It is disgusting that things are happening this way. Note to self, never visit Beaufort County, Escondido or Freemont. I’ll take my money elsewhere.
Read the article over the crap that is going over there in the following link.
In Limbo July 14, 2008
Posted by iamashadow in America, Americans, Dream Act, ICE, Immigration, anxiety, civil rights, college, dehumanization, deportation, discrimination, human rights, illegal immigrants, illegal immigration, immigrants, justice, law, life, news, opinion, people, personal, politics, thoughts, undocumented student, undocumented students.add a comment
Wow, talk about being stuck in limbo and then some. I have the unique advantage of people not knowing my location and such, I keep a low profile. I mean, I could go out and party and such, make a disgrace of myself but I choose not to, I think it is the smarter move. Anyway, back to the point, this kid who goes by the name of Arthur Mkoyan is stuck in the limbo from hell.
He graduated with a 4.0 GPA, probably higher than most of his American-born peers, and a letter of admission to UC Davis. So, that would be good right. Well, no, he is an undocumented immigrant from Armenia. But wait you say, I thought all undocumented immigrants were stinky Mexicans. No, you are wrong, epic fail.
So, why is the kid an undocumented immigrant. His father made the choice of emigrating to the US bringing his wife and kid, Arthur, at the age of 1. So, now, after a 16 year process that didn’t give the family assylum, they are supposed to be deported. Apparently having your house burned down and shop they owned getting ransacked aren’t valid enough reasons to flee your country and seek asylum elsewhere.
Well, now, here we are 16 years later and Arthur is stuck in limbo. He wants to continue his education but that has become doubtful considering he is undocumented. So, here we have a kid who would probably do well in life, his life in the US, but can’t because of the mistakes of others. Are you going to ask him to leave to a place where he has never been? Is that fair? And I thought I had it bad. I still can’t believe things like this could happen in this country but I guess I was wrong.
Read more about Arthur and his family’s story in the following article.
Umm…if only there was a piece of legislation that would allow his DREAMs to come true. Nah, I’m sure there isn’t one, no wait–
A Couragous Stand July 13, 2008
Posted by iamashadow in 2008, Americans, civil rights, death, dehumanization, discrimination, history, life, news, opinion, people, personal, politics, quote, quote of the day, quotes, race, racism, white supremacy.add a comment
Well, this is not about immigration but I’m going to blog about it anyways. It is kind of old too but I’m glad that some people do have b***s. The past 4th of July, the man known as Jesse Helms died. As far as I’ve been told and now read, he was one the most racist and homophobic individuals to ever wield power in this country. Seriously, to the people of NC, what the hell where you thinking in electing this guy? So much hate, destruction, it’s ridiculous and embarrassing. You people should be ashamed. Here are some of the quotes from the illustrious man himself.
“The New York Times and Washington Post are both infested with homosexuals themselves. Just about every person down there is a homosexual or lesbian.”
– 1995
“The University of Negroes and Communists”
– Reference to the University of North Carolina devised by Mr. Helms when he worked for Willis Smith’s 1950 U.S. Senate campaign.
“Your tax dollars are being used to pay for grade-school classes that teach our children that CANNIBALISM, WIFE-SWAPPING and MURDER of infants and the elderly are acceptable behavior.”
– Fund raising mailer, 1996
“All Latins are volatile people. Hence, I was not surprised at the volatile reaction.”
– After Mexicans protested his visit in 1986
“Homosexuals are weak, morally sick wretches.”
– 1995 radio broadcast
“She’s a damn lesbian. I am not going to put a lesbian in a position like that. If you want to call me a bigot, fine.”
– Explaining why he was opposing the appointment of a woman for a cabinet post.
“They should ask their parents if it would be all right for their son or daughter to marry a Negro.”
– In response to Duke University students holding a vigil after Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, 1968
Anyways, back to the point. I read this article over at Alternet and decided to share it here. So, the governor of NC, Gov. Easley decided that all flags should fly half-staff in order to honor the memory of their dead ex-senator. One man said no. It was L.F. Eason, a 29-year veteran of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. This is what he had to say about his choice.
“This is in no way a political decision. I simply do not feel it is appropriate to honor a person whose epitaph of government service was to have voted against or blocked every civil rights issue that came before the US Congress. His doctrine of negativity, hate, and prejudice cost North Carolina and our Nation much that we may never regain.”
All I can say is bravo good man, bravo. The man had to retire early from his post because of his decision Now, I say honor goes to the men who earned it. In my opinion, Jesse Helms didn’t earn any honor.
Ban on Immigrants July 13, 2008
Posted by iamashadow in ICE, Immigration, civil rights, dehumanization, deportation, discrimination, fear, human rights, illegal immigrants, illegal immigration, immigrants, law, life, opinion, people, personal, politics, thoughts, undocumented student, undocumented students, white supremacy.add a comment
Well, now, this is insulting and unnecessary. I mean, has it really come to this. I guess so. Well, the following article from the city of Freemont says that now you have to have a license in order to live anywhere. I guess they finally found a way banish us. But really, I don’t think such an ordinance will be able to stand up in court. Such things never do.
Unsurprisingly, the article says that the ordinance doesn’t stipulate a penalty for landlords who fail to comply in checking out the licenses. Isn’t this like the raids, going after the little people instead of the ones who hire them. In this case, the people who allow them to have a residency.
Apparently the people are ’sick and tired’ on the lax immigration laws or the lack of action on the part of the federal government. Really, these people are sick and tired of what all the nativist are tired of, seeing people who are brown and therefore not liking them.
I’m sick and tired of all of this. Sick and tired of being considered a burden and a criminal. It depresses me the level of hate that people have toward me when they haven’t even met me. Or try to meet me.
This is a quote from the article from the Omaha World Herald, all credit goes to them, describing the racial stereotypes.
Angel Freytez, commission spokesman, said some opponents of the ban left the meeting early because they felt there was inadequate security. One opponent of the ordinance later broke into tears because of the “hateful” statements, said Freytez, who called the behavior at the meeting “shameful.”
“Instead of raising the level of dialogue over the immigration issue,” Freytez said, “they are degrading it.”
Pflanz, the Appleseed attorney, said some people in the audience of Latino and Asian descent overheard remarks aimed at them: “There’s an illegal. There’s an illegal.”
An illegal. An illegal. It goes on and on, doesn’t it? I’m tired of it. I’m tired of waking up and being on the same situation, I’m tired of just everything. How long can this mess continue, and even I don’t think I can last that long. Is it going to be until 2010? I don’t know, so many questions with no answers, yet. Banish? Cockroaches? And more, how long can this continue?
Read the rest of the article over the crap that is happening in Nebraska right here.
Who We Are July 10, 2008
Posted by iamashadow in Americans, Dream Act, Immigration, civil rights, dehumanization, deportation, discrimination, human rights, illegal immigrants, illegal immigration, immigrants, life, opinion, school, thoughts, undocumented student, undocumented students.add a comment
Who are we? We are you, obviously. We are like your children in every way, shape or form. I play with the Nintendo Wii and the PS2, I go to school and try to do well, and I try to have fun with my friends and girlfriend. That’s who I am. That’s who your son is as well as your daughter. You, the antis, trying to paint us as different cannot work. We are like you, and we probably know more than you do about this country.
It is a point that bothers me a lot, the fact that we are painted as being different by the other side by the decisions our parents made. It’s crazy. Insane. Loco. Take a look at the following person, Cecilia, from Arkansas, she is just another student. She plays the flute, played softball, works at a grocery story, and volunteers with a youth group. I’m describing a lot of the college going population with that last sentence. And yet, we are different, because we are being made different by the other side.
We have been deemed less worthy than our companions. We are being treated like dirt when we are not, treated like we are uneducated but we are certainly not that. Among us are scientists, writers, teachers, mathematicians, lawyers and more, and it is time for people to see that, to disperse the sky filled with clouds vitriol and hate from the other side. That’s what it is, vitriol and hate, racism, prejudice, dehumanization, because only through those means can anyone try rationalize the punishment of a group of people that are undocumented students for the decisions of their parents.
If only you took time to know us, to allows to show you that all the stereotypes and such are lies. But what else can I say, right? I’m talking in the wind, and I hope this message gets picked up by uneducated ears, let me tell you, not all immigrants are bad, especially those who didn’t choose to come here.
Obama and Immigration July 10, 2008
Posted by iamashadow in Americans, Dream Act, ICE, Immigration, Obama, candidates, civil rights, election, famous people, human rights, ideas, illegal immigrants, illegal immigration, immigrants, inspiration, justice, law, life, media, opinion, people, politics, thoughts, undocumented student, undocumented students, videos, youtube.1 comment so far
This are Obama’s views on immigration. I like them. Awesome speech as always.
Speech to the League of United Latin American Citizens, in Washington D.C.
July 8, 2008
Undocumented students have a degree of anxiety July 8, 2008
Posted by iamashadow in Americans, Dream Act, ICE, Immigration, anxiety, civil rights, college, dehumanization, deportation, depression, discrimination, editorial, education, human rights, illegal immigrants, illegal immigration, immigrants, inspiration, justice, law, life, opinion, people, personal, politics, school, thoughts, tragedy, undocumented student, undocumented students.4 comments
This article is from the LA Times, I’m posting the entire thing. I embolden some letters for emphasis. My comments will be ( ) and italicized. Here is the link for the original article.
He took 15 AP classes (HOLY GOD, that’s amazing and insane) in high school, and kicks himself for passing up two others. Now, he is graduating from UCLA, with a double major in English and Chicano Studies and a B-plus grade point average.
But for all his success, Miguel does not share the full-bodied exuberance of the graduating seniors who marched last month five abreast into Pauley Pavilion, belting out the ’60s hit “Build Me Up, Buttercup.” A native of Puebla, Mexico, he is an illegal immigrant.
Around the UCLA campus, ubiquitous kiosk signs encourage students to “Jump Into Great Jobs!” But for Miguel, any employment will be difficult. Like many undocumented students, he may elect to prolong his studies to stave off an uncertain future.
“When you’re in school you have a place in society, you’re a university student,” Miguel, 23, said during an interview at a campus coffee spot on graduation day. “When you graduate, you’re just an immigrant again.” ( I know the feeling on that regards, it almost happened to me after high school).
Miguel and other students, who asked that their full names be withheld for fear that they or their families could face federal action, are caught between contradictory U.S. immigration policies.
A 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision entitled illegal immigrants to public education from kindergarten through high school; 50,000 to 70,000 graduate from U.S. high schools each year (California’s share, by some estimates, is 40%), according to experts. But the students’ access to higher education has not been guaranteed by the courts and Congress.
Over the last seven years, California and nine other states have encouraged undocumented college students to pursue higher education by offering many who graduated from California high schools in-state tuition. California public universities do not ask about legal status on applications. Some private universities, including Loyola Marymount and Santa Clara, have scholarships tailored for illegal immigrants. They are not entitled to most financial aid or loans at public colleges.
Their numbers at the university level remain low. The UC system had an estimated 271 to 433 undocumented students, out of total enrollment of 214,000, in 2006-2007, the latest figure available, a spokesman said.
But attending college, and even doing splendidly, does nothing to alter these students’ illegal status. (I’ve met people who think me being at my university changes things, it doesn’t). A proposed federal law called the Dream Act would have offered a pathway to citizenship for many college students and members of the military. But supporters last year were unable to secure enough votes to prevent a filibuster of the bill.
Opponents said the students are looting limited educational resources that should go to citizens and legal residents.
“To these students, I say I hope you return to your home country right away,” said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach), “and I hope you repay what you have spent of other people’s money. It’s a horrible crime.”
Students have come far
Advocates argue that it’s inhumane and counterproductive to ostracize students who have come so far with so little.
“These students have been here since they were small children, and we’ve done everything to encourage them to stay in school and help them prepare for college,” said UCLA Asst. Vice Provost Alfred Herrera of the Center for Community College Partnerships. “The sad reality is most of these students are the best and the brightest.”
And if history is any guide, they aren’t leaving. Some, instead, remain in school.
Living off academic stipends, scholarships and a steady diet of ramen, these students play out an endless “Groundhog Day” script of school applications, research projects and degrees.
“They mostly hang around colleges, assistantships, getting paid to do surveys. It’s not employment, it’s catch-as-catch can,” said Michael Olivas, an expert on immigrants in higher education who teaches at the University of Houston Law Center.
“I think continuing your studies is the best option for us now,” said Tam Tran, 24, who heads to Brown University this fall for a five-year doctoral program in American Civilizations.
Born in Germany to Vietnamese parents, Tran has a complex immigration history: a U.S. immigration board in 2001 found that her family faced political persecution in Vietnam for past anti-Communist activities, but ordered them deported to Germany.
Germany, however, would not take them. The nation only recognized as citizens children born on its soil to German parents.
She said she would have liked to stay at UCLA, maybe go to film school. But the public university can’t give her aid, while both Brown and Yale universities offered generous packages.
Robert Lee, professor in the Department of American Civilization at Brown, said the university is not bothered that Tran might be unable to work in the U.S. in her academic field. “Even as students, they’re producing important academic product,” Lee said. “We don’t train all students to become university professors; they might end up working for an NGO [non-governmental organization], or a film producer . . . or in government service, maybe not in the U.S.”
‘Miley Cyrus Americans’
Stephanie, 22, drops out roughly every other quarter towork at low-paying jobs like making cardboard boxes.
“The reason I don’t feel bad about it taking me so long to get through is that as long as I’m a UCLA student, I can say, ‘We’re on our way, we’re up-and-comers,” said Stephanie, over dinner recently at a Japanese restaurant.
Stephanie’s parents brought her here at age 4, after the disco craze dissolved in the Philippines, leaving her father, a lighting installer, without a job, she said. Her parents only told her she was undocumented when she tried to transfer to UCLA, she added.
“What people don’t get is we’re Miley Cyrus Americans,” said Stephanie, an aspiring writer and copy editor. “English is the only language I speak.”
A story about Stephanie in the Daily Bruin newspaper earlier this year drew scant sympathy. Stephanie “has a choice to make: become a legal resident or continue to live a life of deferring the task her parents should have taken care of years before,” a letter to the editor said.
Stephanie and Miguel said they would risk deportation if they sought legal status.
Even the most prestigious academic posting has not shielded students from immigration authorities. Dan-el Padilla Peralta, a classics scholar, Princeton salutatorian and illegal immigrant from the Dominican Republic, was able to pursue a masters at Oxford University without facing possible exclusion upon his return only through an intense legal and publicity campaign, his lawyer, Stephen Yale-Loehr said. Yale-Loehr is an immigration law professor at Cornell Law School.
As it is, Padilla was able to obtain only a temporary waiver and visa so he could travel to the U.S. during summer and vacations to work on a research project for Princeton.
“Naturally the uncertainty over my status has been a source of anxiety,” Padilla said in an e-mail from Oxford. “But I’ve tried to keep that anxiety quite separate from my academic and extracurricular pursuits. I feel enormously privileged to have studied first at Princeton and now at Oxford.“
This same optimism pervaded speeches at a small graduation ceremony arranged by the UCLA chapter of IDEAS, a campus support organization for students, documented and undocumented, who receive the in-state tuition exemption.
About 10 students talked about life as an “Underground Undergrad” (the title of a book undocumented UCLA students released this spring): the two- to three-hour commutes, crashing on couches, eating only if somebody could sneak them into the dining hall. Several said they were hopeful the Dream Act will be reintroduced soon, and this time pass, opening the door to legalization.
But mainly, they expressed gratitude for their education.
“I choose not to place the burden [of my situation] on everyone,” said Matias Ramos, another graduating senior, whose grandmother flew in from Argentina for the event. “I have had the blessing of encountering a lot of people who’ve helped me.” (So have I).
“A lot of stereotypes that linger on, we break all of them,” said Miguel. “All of us are very assimilated and we’re very proud of it. . . . We’re driven by huge optimism.”
But as she cleared cut fruit from the refreshment table, Tran grew wistful.
“We’re always in a position where we’re oppressed and privileged at the same time,” she said. “I wonder if getting a PhD in American studies is going to prove I’m an American?”
Undocumented Students and Colleges July 7, 2008
Posted by iamashadow in Immigration, civil rights, college, dehumanization, deportation, discrimination, education, fear, human rights, illegal immigrants, illegal immigration, immigrants, law, life, opinion, personal, politics, racism, thoughts, undocumented student, undocumented students.1 comment so far
Well, the relationships between undocumented students and colleges has never been an easy one. I was lucky enough to accepted and then funded at my university, even if it is a public college. But most of us are not as lucky. So, the question really is, what is so scary about us that some states want to ban us from going to college.
I don’t get it. I mean, yes, I’m undocumented, true, but it is not like I chose to be here. Also, please, don’t come with the crap that just because I turned 18 I had the choice of going back. For someone, who at the age of 18, already had 8 years of being in the US, it was no choice at all. Now, I’m about to be 20 (a point my sister keeps reminding me of…) and I still believe that my life is here. I know that concept of an undocumented being able to have a life here is hard to understand to some folks, by which I mean the folks that say that I should pack up and go. It is not that easy you know, it is not just a matter of packing up. It is not just a matter of college really, it is a matter of our lives, which are here and we want them to continue here. I wrote in a past entry, my life is here, girlfriend, friends, professors and mentors, there is nothing that appeals to me about my ‘home’ country. And my Spanish is not good enough to sustain academic work.
Anyway, my words won’t be heard by the anti folks, they’ll just say I’m whining and such. I let them believe what they want, I know that denying someone an education is wrong. See, I’m not even talking about in-state tution.
The following article is from the USA Today and it already has over 900 comments on it, which means that probably a large percentage of those comments are against people like me. And no, that is not the American public speaking, it is just the people with no lives, like me. Most of my pro-immigrant friends are out having fun and in summer school, they are after all, college students. So no, sorry, that is not a sample of the ‘ire’ of the American public. From the USA Today.
This summer, South Carolina became the first state to bar undocumented students from all public colleges and universities.
North Carolina’s community colleges in May ordered its 58 campuses to stop enrolling undocumented students after the state attorney general said admitting them may violate federal law.
“The new trend is to kick illegal aliens out of college altogether,” says William Gheen of Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action Committee, which opposes taxpayer subsidies for undocumented immigrants.
Sorry William, you already subsidized my education from K to 12. Actually, from the 5th grade to 12. Shame on the Carolinas for taking the paths they chose. Shame on them. Also, if you are reading this blog and happen to know me, please tell me, am I scary?
Stinky Mexicans Taking Over America! July 2, 2008
Posted by iamashadow in Americans, Immigration, civil rights, college, comedy, dehumanization, deportation, discrimination, entertainment, heroes, humor, ideas, illegal immigrants, illegal immigration, immigrants, inspiration, laugh, opinion, people, personal, politics, race, random, undocumented student, undocumented students, videos, youtube.2 comments
New Haven and the Law June 30, 2008
Posted by iamashadow in Americans, Immigration, civil rights, dehumanization, deportation, human rights, illegal immigrants, illegal immigration, immigrants, inspiration, justice, law, life, news, opinion, people, personal, politics, undocumented student, undocumented students.add a comment
I would really like to drive. Everyone who knows me probably knows this. And so, the idea of the town of New Haven is a great one. Give identity cards to people so that you know who they are and where they live. Let them live their lives and not make it a living hell. I don’t think it allows for driving, but it is better than nothing.
I’ve never understood the reasoning of the people wanting to have police have the ability to check immigration statuses. Its ridiculous. Its putting an entire community in distrust of the police and the police won’t be able to do their job which is to protect the people. Everyone, not just citizens. I’ll be putting up the rest of the article now, and here is the link for it.
The names and addresses of more than 6,000 New Haven residents who have applied for a type of identification card available to anyone, including illegal immigrants, will likely remain secret, out of fear for their safety.
Anti-illegal immigration activists had asked the city to identify the cardholders in a public records request. But as the New Haven Register reports, a Freedom of Information Commission official on Wednesday recommended against releasing the cardholders’ names.
“The ID Card program unleashed a level of vitriol and venom aimed at city officials and illegal immigrants that was far beyond mere political disagreement or healthy civic engagement,” the hearing officer’s report said, according to The Register. Among menacing e-mails the city received in the months after the card program debuted was this message: “When they show up for an ID card shoot them dead or at least deport them immediately.”
The full body of FOI officials is expected to vote on the issue on July 9, but it will likely side with the recommendation.
Dustin Gold, whose Community Watchdog Project backed the records request, told The Register the report doesn’t reflect the intentions of the state lawmakers who created the FOI safety exemption. He told the paper he would take the issue to court if he has to.
Despite the controversy, The Register described the card as a success: “It is viewed in New Haven as a public safety measure that helps incorporate the estimated 15,000 illegal immigrants into the lifeof city,” helping them set up bank accounts and access certain city services.
For the bolded words, I wish stuff like that was new but nope, it is not. Its quite sad really.
Virginia and Discrimination June 29, 2008
Posted by iamashadow in Americans, Immigration, civil rights, college, courts, dehumanization, discrimination, education, human rights, illegal immigrants, illegal immigration, immigrants, justice, law, life, news, opinion, people, politics, school, thoughts, undocumented student, undocumented students.add a comment
I’ll just post the entire article. This is ridiculous.
With college acceptances and deposits already mailed, this is an exciting time of year for most high school graduates. But not everyone can join the celebration. Some graduating students are unable to attend college because they have been denied in-state tuition. Why are some U.S.-born Virginia residents being denied access to college?
It’s not because of their immigration status, but because of their parents’.
One of these citizens caught up in this problem is Jamilla Penarete. Two years ago, as a senior in high school, Jamilla was accepted at George Mason University. But after registering for classes, she found out that despite the fact that she was born and raised in Virginia, she was being charged out-of- state tuition rates, three times the amount she expected to pay as a Virginia resident. Jamilla was told that because she applied as a dependent student, as most just-out-of-high-school students do, her parents’ undocumented immigration status counted against her. As a U.S. citizen, Jamilla can vote, join the Army and be called for jury duty. She pays federal and state taxes. But in her home state of Virginia, she was considered ineligible for in-state tuition.
This outcome is the result of two ill-applied legal provisions.
• First, Virginia law creates a presumption that any college student under 24 years old is their parents’ dependent. As such, it is the parents’ eligibility to establish domicile in Virginia that counts for in-state tuition purposes, not the student’s.
• Second, even though Virginia law does not say that undocumented immigrants are ineligible to establish domicile, the Virginia attorney general’s office has interpreted the law in this manner for many years.
These two factors have created a legal problem that directly affects American students, with devastating consequences.
Jamilla tried to cover tuition costs but eventually found it was too much to bear and had to stop attending school after the first year. She had to take two jobs to pay the debt she incurred during that one year, and put off returning until she can afford it. She recently filed a new application for in-state tuition with George Mason University, seeking to resume her college education this fall; the application was denied at the initial review level. Jamilla appealed, and was just recently informed by George Mason that she is being reclassified as an in-state student. She plans on attending this fall.
Jamilla’s story is not an isolated case. Another Virginia- born student was offered admission to the University of Virginia this year, with out-of-state tuition. Because this student could not afford the higher tuition rates, he thought he had no choice but to attend a community college. Fortunately for him, a memo from the Virginia attorney general’s office on this issue was released in March. This memo prompted UVa. to review his situation and grant him in-state tuition. The memo reminded colleges that under state law, it is possible for a dependent student, in extraordinary circumstances, to have a different domicile than his parents’.
The situation of these American students who have lived most of their lives in Virginia is one of those extraordinary circumstances.
What can be done to correct this injustice? The Virginia General Assembly must clarify the law to make sure that no U.S. citizen in Virginia is denied in-state tuition because of his parents’ immigration status.
Another possible solution is in the hands of the Virginia attorney general’s office. The situation started because the office has interpreted state law to justify denying in-state tuition to undocumented students. He could easily fix this problem by changing the reasoning for denying in-state tuition to undocumented students, so that U.S.-born students’ eligibility for in-state tuition would no longer be linked to their parents’ immigration status.
Supreme Court Declines to Hear In-State Tuition Case June 28, 2008
Posted by iamashadow in Immigration, Supreme Court, civil rights, courts, human rights, illegal immigrants, illegal immigration, immigrants, justice, law, news, opinion, people, undocumented student, undocumented students.2 comments
Well, it pretty much looks that way. So, the question of whether a state can give or deny state in-state tuition has been left to the state governments. Some states have already given in-state tuition to students like me. No, the ‘hordes’ are not inviding said states. I think things are pretty much the same. I live in a state that doesn’t give in-state tuition and have to pay over 120,000 dollars. Well, I would pay that if I didn’t have the scholarship I have that covers everything.
The case was made by some out-of-staters who thought it was unfair for people like me to have in-state tution. I don’t think so, but then again, I’m very biased aren’t I. Why is in-state tution good though? Because it keeps kids in school and not doing drugs or dropping out. It is better to have something at the end of the road instead of nothing. And we are not arguing for in-state tuition in states where we are not from, that would be stupid. If I wanted to go…let’s say to a University in Hawaii, I would pay out of state tution. That’s a given. And I already addressed the fact that we don’t steal seats from universities, we earn them.
Here is the article for your reading pleasure.
Illegal Immigrants and Criminality June 27, 2008
Posted by iamashadow in Americans, ICE, Immigration, civil rights, dehumanization, deportation, fear, human rights, ideas, illegal immigrants, illegal immigration, immigrants, justice, law, life, opinion, people, personal, politics, thoughts, undocumented student, undocumented students.2 comments
Okay, I agree with the deportation of murderers, rapists, and the like. They can go back. They are giving me a bad name. What I don’t consider right though is the deportation of immigrants who are taken away because of simple traffic violations. I don’t agree with that. I think it is unfair and counter-productive. Why alienate (no pun intended) a large group of people who could help out with crimes. Why terrorize them if they’ve done nothing wrong, except being in this country. To some, those who look at the world is in black and white terms, that act in of itself is enough to be deem them criminals for their rest of the lives, being the scum of the earth. What about people like me? People who didn’t choose to come here with by choice again. Again, the world is more complex than just right and wrong, black and white, Nintendo and Sony.
What about laws that make it illegal to knowingly transport people like me. It doesn’t make sense. What about ambulance drivers? What about school buses? What about my girlfriend and I going to the movies? She knows fully well, what I am; I wouldn’t even consider having a relationship with someone that doesn’t. Will she be taken away like the man in the following article, to 5 years of prison and a fine of up 250,000 just because we were going to the movies like a lot of people who are in a relationship? No, I would really hope not, I could never live with the fact that I ruined her life. What about laws, like the one that passed in the House a couple of years back, that made the common man into immigration agents because they needed to whistle blow on people like me. It would have made my girlfriend, some of my professors, some of my friends and mentors into criminals because I believe that they would never turn me in.
Those types of laws only serve to separate people, only serve to destroy the trust in a community that is already marginalized. Why? It is not helping any? My deportation wouldn’t discourage others. Laws like that only serve to move people away to better places that have jobs. You know why it doesn’t help, because EVERY time you read about a raid, it is always the little people that are taken away. Never the employers. They continue going and employing, just like it never happened. That is the hypocrisy of immigration, take it all out on the little guy but not the ones who are the root of the problem. Instead of making a solution that could help everyone, people blindly go and say to deport them all instead of actually thinking. It saddens me that people are making criminals out of people that are not.
Broken Hopes, Shattered Dreams June 26, 2008
Posted by iamashadow in Americans, ICE, Immigration, civil rights, dehumanization, deportation, depression, human rights, illegal immigrants, illegal immigration, immigrants, inspiration, justice, law, life, news, opinion, people, personal, politics, thoughts, undocumented student, undocumented students.2 comments
The following article makes a profile of Dreamers. Dreamers are people like, people who came into this country when we were young, in my case 10 years old.
Every time the Dream Act is defeated, it is followed by broken hopes and shattered dreams. Ours. The antis say that once we turn 18, it is our responsibility to go back and get in line. Go back to get in line? What line again? There is no line?
Here is a scary quote from the article, from one of the students named Javier.
“Good evening, sir,” said the man on the other end of the line. “I’d like to talk to you about opening a line of credit with our new offer from Visa in conjunction with the University of Houston. All we need is your Social Security number,”
“Oh, no thanks,” said Javier. “I don’t need a credit card right now.”
“What, don’t you have a social security number?” said the voice. “Are you a wetback? Are you scared that I’m going to turn you over to the police and you’ll get thrown outta my country? Why don’t you just go back to Mexico.”
That is the sort of thing that we have to put up with. Heartbreak, because of the fact that we have to pay for the sins of our parents.
Very soon, I know I will also have to. I’m in college now, a junior at my university. 2 years from now I’ll have to graduate and will have choices that none of my friends will have to even imagine.
Will I go on, and succumb to the stereotype. Will I go work at as dishwasher, at a Burger King, a low wage paying job even though I would have an English degree and would be qualified to teach.
Or will I have to go to back to Mexico. I’m able to speak Spanish but I haven’t been able to keep up with those skills in a way that would allow me to survive. Am I willing to go away and leave everyone I know and love behind.
I don’t know what I’ll do, I try to not to think about it, but it is harder and harder not to. I wish school would start back again, because I want to see my girlfriend and all my friends. But a part of me knows that everyday is one day less that I’ll be able to keep up the charade. The charade that I’m like them but I’m really not. A charade that takes a toll on all of us, because even if we have friends who know about our secrets, they would never understand what it feels like to live like this everyday. The burden of the secret, the burden of that our parents gave us is one that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
Another student, Ricky, and I share the same views on the following matter.
“The fear of being caught and deported is there every hour of every day,” says Ricky, “but it’s something that you have to get used to so you can live your life. You have to block it out. There are constantly little reminders, like every time you see a cop drive by, and you always have to make sure you’re doing everything right, but you have to be positive somehow. I mean, it does keep you on track and focused on what you have to do, like going to school and staying in line with the law.”
It is scary the way that some of us can adapt, being able to live like this and still function. I don’t know how we do it, I don’t know how we go on. I know this much, the road we live on is one of heartbreak and I suspect that the worst is yet to come for me. But it was my choice and I took it, stand by it and will live to see it to the end.
