Sofia Carranza was not aware that she was undocumented until she was in her last year of high school. She was planning to study at UCLA when she realized that because of her immigration status, she was not eligible for the same scholarships that her peers were receiving. Her hopes to continue her education were stumped by the need to pay the highest level of tuition, with no economic aid accessible to her.

 Like Sofia, there are about 65,000 young students who graduate from high school each year in the United States without the funds necessary to continue their studies, simply because their parents brought them to this country with no legal documents. Their dreams of higher education turn into nightmares. However, the DREAM Act could literally make their dreams for a better future a reality. 

 The bill attempts to give undocumented students the opportunity to attend college paying in-state tuition, as well as allowing them to apply for private scholarships, loans and grants. It also proposes that while in school, or if they decide to enter the military, they can be granted temporary residency for a period of six years and permanent citizenship if they complete two years of studies or service. The legislation has been reintroduced in Congress with strong bilateral support from Sens. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind., and House Reps. Howard Berman, D-Calif., and Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R-Fla. 

 Many of these immigrant students arrived at a very young age with their parents and were brought up through the public school systems. Some know only this country as their home but feel discriminated against by trying to fully contribute to society. Rep. Diaz-Balart, speaking on behalf of the students who could potentially benefit from this bill, said: “Our students and brave soldiers should not be punished for a decision which was made by their parents, in which they often played no role. Unfortunately, once these students graduate from high school, their educational aspirations are often halted.”

 Ten states across the nation have already adopted local bills similar to the DREAM Act that allow immigrants to pay as legal residents in their state's public colleges, including Texas, California, Illinois, New Mexico and New York. In New Jersey, Gov. Jon S. Corzine announced his interest in making college more affordable for the undocumented students in that state, one of several recommendations released by a state panel on immigration convened by the governor.

 Despite these state measures, the DREAM Act has struggled to get through Congress after several failed attempts since it was first introduced in 2001. Yet this year may be different. A senior White House official told The New York Times that President Barack Obama would like to start discussing immigration reform this May and would hope that legislation can be presented by fall. 

 The DREAM Act could be that first step toward a comprehensive immigration-reform law. As a senator, the president was a main sponsor of the act in 2005. By putting his political weight on the newly introduced bill, Obama could be sending a clear message to the immigrant community that not only is he serious about putting education on top of his priority list, but that he intends to keep his promise of cleaning up the immigration mess.

 Janet Murguia, president of the National Council of La Raza, is a supporter of the bill and says that undocumented students must be given the opportunity to pursue a college education, because she believes that an educated work force is one of the best ways for our nation to recover from the current economic crisis. Considering that 34 percent of the Hispanic population is under 18 years of age, an investment in their education is not only an investment in the Latino community but in the country as well. The Census Bureau projects that the Hispanic school-age population will increase by 166 percent by 2050.

 Students like Sofia feel burdened by the thought of missing out on the American Dream by not being able to pursue a higher education. Now their future and the future of our country are in the hands and votes of our elected officials in Washington.

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 (Maria Elena Salinas is the author of “I AM MY FATHER'S DAUGHTER: LIVING A LIFE WITHOUT SECRETS.” Reach her at www.mariaesalinas.com)

© 2009 by Maria Elena Salinas

Distributed by King Features Syndicate