Loyola University Supports the Dream Act

Loyola University Supports the Dream Act

In July, Senators Lindsey Graham (R–SC) and Richard Durbin (D–IL) introduced the Dream Act of 2017. If passed, this bipartisan legislation would:

  • Grant current DACA beneficiaries’ permanent resident status on a conditional basis and allow temporary protected status (TPS) beneficiaries, people without lawful immigration status, and people with final orders of removal the opportunity to apply for it.
  • Permit a conditional permanent resident (CPR) to obtain lawful permanent resident (LPR) status (sometimes referred to as getting a “green card”) if they go to college, have worked for a certain amount of time, or served in the U.S. military, in addition to meeting other requirements.
  • Provide a pathway to U.S. citizenship. A person would have to be a CPR for eight years before they could become eligible to apply for LPR status, and after about five years as an LPR, they could apply for U.S. citizenship.
  • Stay (stop) the removal proceedings of anyone who meets Dream Act requirements as well as young people over 5 years of age who are enrolled in elementary or secondary school.
  • Improve college affordability for undocumented youth and other immigrants by giving states the ability to provide access to in-state tuition or state financial aid programs like Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants.

This month, Loyola University Chicago encouraged students to send a message to their local U.S. Representative or Senator. These notes were pre-printed letters written on behalf of students who are directly affected by the fate of this program.

Over three days, 2,454 members of the Loyola community participated at the Lake Shore, Water Tower, and Health Sciences campuses. Most of them were students. In total, 7,362 letters were sent to 84 Senators and 297 U.S. Representatives—from a total of 43 states and territories.

As a Jesuit, Catholic institution, Loyola University Chicago firmly believes in the dignity of each person and in the promotion of social justice. The Loyola students and other undocumented immigrants who would benefit from the Dream Act were brought here as children and now represent a wealth of talent who are woven into the fabric of our communities. The Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are among the many organizations who join Loyola in support.

Many Loyola Students have been affected, including Students Zarna Patel and Cristina Nunez. Patel has been able to pursue her dreams with her DACA status. She looks forward one day to starting her own nonprofit, promoting better health education and access to care for underserved communities, especially women and children. Nunez receives a Magis Scholarship from Loyola, a highly selective financial aid program for students with DACA status. She is a powerful advocate for social justice, seeking opportunities and justice on behalf of all undocumented people.

The most important and effective thing you can do is to contact your representatives in the U.S. House and Senate, and urge them to pass the Dream Act of 2017. Loyola University Chicago encourages everyone to contact their members of Congress and express their opinion on the legislation, whether you support or oppose it.

To do so, you can contact your congressperson or senator with the following links:

https://www.house.gov/htbin/findrep/

https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

 

For more info on the Dream Act 2017, you can contact:

  • Loyola’s Student Diversity and Multicultural Affairs department provides resources for Loyola’s undocumented students.
  • Please visit the Undocumented Student Resources, or contact Tim Love at tlove@LUC.edu.
  • For more information about Loyola’s advocacy for the Dream Act of 2017, please contact Phil Hale, Loyola’s vice president for government affairs at phale@LUC.edu.

 

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