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What do you think is the most effective way to turn this idea into real policy? Add your suggestions here for how you think we should run an advocacy campaign to advance the idea – including the overall strategy, messaging, targets, and tactics.

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  1. Jose Quintero

    Educate the Public that everybody has the right
    for higher education.

    Suggested by Jose Quintero on 01/28/2009 @ 10:32PM PT

  2. Jose Navarro

    EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF HIGHER EDUCATION

    Suggested by Jose Navarro on 01/28/2009 @ 09:36PM PT

  3. rev baker aka rev420

    GLAD TO SEE YOU ALL MADE IT!

    Suggested by rev baker aka rev420 on 01/28/2009 @ 09:22PM PT

  4. Carlos Jimenez


     Suggestions on getting this comprehensive bill passed by both the House and Senate will require like previous suggestions said publicity. How it is that Americans watch American Idol and vote more there then previous presidential elections?? Quite sad actually, however times are changing, and with the innovation of the internet so is the information that is spread around this country. Spread the benefits of the Dream Act and what it can do for Americans as whole not just undocumented students.. I say that in part because, the reality is that we are in an economic recession like many have heard and not many Americans/Congress are thinking about legalizing undocumented students, while watching millions of jobs being devoured by this economic recession that was in part due to greedy CEO's and no watchful eye in our economy. That's besides the fact though.

    I think an amazing suggestion that may seem farfetched however is gather the top and I mean the most all around citizens that are undocumented that have made it incredible far in their in their careers/education. Imagine if you showed to Congress or the President individuals who are attending Harvard, Yale and Princeton or undocumented individuals who are working for Microsoft, director positions in the Peace Corps, Red Cross, leaders in their community..............who are the ideal model citizens that are not hurting anyone paying their taxes and doing what they have to do, to get where they want to be in life. To me that's impressive..Obviously people want to know and see what undocumented citizens will proved for United States if they pass this bill and what better of an example then bringing them together and putting them in the front line of this battle.
    Now I know the question arises well if we uncover their identities then there's a high possibility that they might get deported..Well the way I see it if we never take a leap, then we will never land metaphorically in our ideal land. Look I personally know what it feels like to be placed in that category and have your dreams delayed never crushed or prevented however...I am applying as a transfer student to the most prestigious universities in the United States and there is a high chance I will be a strong viable candidate. If I do get accepted, I want to show others that, it does not matter what your current legal status is, it might pose an obstacle, however it's not impossible. I would gladly place myself in the frontlines of a campaign such as the one I suggested and take my chances to see a change come about for the others who are in OUR current situation!!!!
    Take Chances, and Ask Yourself, How Do You Want To Be Remembered in This World? 

    Suggested by Carlos Jimenez on 01/24/2009 @ 04:22PM PT

  5. William Castillo

    My suggestion seeing the complete lack of information about the Dream Act. Educate people on the fact that this is no amnesty or a back door to chain migration in any way, shape or form. Start at the High School level, because a majority of Dream Act beneficiaries are High School students completely unaware of their status and of the Dream Act until it is to late. Maybe we can all sign a petition and have it forwarded to Myspace and Facebook as well as the other big partners of Change.org capable of running a campaign of this magnitude. The next step would be to inform the general public of the injustices being suffered by hundreds of thousands of children soon to be adults and left to fend for themselves in an unforgiving and judgmental world. This would be accomplished by making sure this issue gets national media coverage. Once again your partners come into play, I'm more than positive that they as big as they are have way more pull than a handful of high school graduates. I'm sure the government will have a hard time ignoring that. These are just suggestions that need some refining so come one everyone contribute in a positive manner if we do nothing nothing will get done. Thank you.

    Suggested by William Castillo on 01/22/2009 @ 12:56PM PT

  6. William Castillo

    Just responding to Kurt's query regarding the "cut-off date".
    I guess no one did mention that(the cut-off date) in the front page of the idea, but it is included in the text of the bill that the illegal alien must have been here for at least 5 years and have come here before the age of 16 before the enacment date of the bill:
     
    This is out of Section 4 of the Bill.
    "(A) the alien has been physically present in the United States for a continuous period of not less than 5 years immediately preceding the date of enactment of this Act, and had not yet reached the age of 16 years at the time of initial entry;"

    Along with that the admissibility is ultimately determined by the USCIS officer during the interview so not just anyone can benefit from this act just those who truly do need it and deserve it.

    I also would like to bring emphasis to the term "Conditional Residence".
    It is conditional for 6 years and in those six years you must remain an upstanding model resident other wise ones conditional status will be terminated:

    This is out of Section 5.
    "(b) Termination of Status-

    (1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Homeland Security shall terminate the conditional permanent resident status of any alien who obtained such status under this Act, if the Secretary determines that the alien--

    (A) ceases to meet the requirements of subparagraph (B) or (C) of section 4(a)(1);

    (B) has become a public charge; or

    (C) has received a dishonorable or other than honorable discharge from the uniformed services.

    (2) RETURN TO PREVIOUS IMMIGRATION STATUS- Any alien whose conditional permanent resident status is terminated under paragraph (1) shall return to the immigration status the alien had immediately prior to receiving conditional permanent resident status under this Act."

    My experience with permanent resident aquaintances has made me aware that when and if you lose your permanent resident status for any reason, that loss is promptly followed by a letter of deportation so i dont see why that wouldn't apply here.

    So in the end sir im not here to argue or try to force feed you anyones pro-immigration agenda. I am just trying to answer your question as well as inform you a little better, since over the last several weeks you have shown a great concern for this issue. This is not a free meal ticket for anyone there is actually some effort required in order to benefit from the Dream Act. I am not here to change your opinion on the matter after all it is your right as a human being to have the freedom of an opinion right along side the human right of these kids for self improvement. This is not an arguement or an invitation for hostility just an educated response feel free to respond sensibly thank you for listening.

    Suggested by William Castillo on 01/22/2009 @ 12:35PM PT

  7. Herbert Peek

    My suggestion is that it is ludicrous to have spent large amounts of money on the people who would qualify for the DREAM Act, in the form of salaries for their teachers, materials and resources they have used, free and reduced price lunches, etc. and not have the chance to recoup some of those expenses in the form of taxes they would pay as legal residents/citizens and the economic benefits of having more consumers in the marketplace. These people had no choice in being brought here, so what is the harm in letting them remain legally and contribute to the society. 

    Suggested by Herbert Peek on 01/21/2009 @ 06:27PM PT

  8. sophie kitson

    Any expansion of additional programs requires several factors.

    1) executive sponsorship and broadly central moral committment--this means not just Obama and us liberal minded people, but executives from fortune 500 companies, farmers, conservative republicans....all manner of people have to have a stake in the broadening and deepening of our educational success. This would be easy. PROVE how better, longer, broader educational goals for more young people would build a stronger economy, a better nation, increase profits and ultimately decrease the ills and issues in society and your top CEO's will sign up tomorrow.
    2) We need a self funding program. How many students out there would be willing to sign up for additional dollar on dollar income tax....federal tax....any sort of tax - spread across the years. Automatic percentage withdrawal at source by students, their parents, their grandparents....non taxable contributions from family members or non profits. I am not an expert -- but surely there is a way to make a good portion of this program self-funding.
    3) SERVICE.....much like the army sponsors young people through education in exchange for years of service.....why wouldnt the goverment, why wouldnt local state goverment, why wouldnt private enterprise sponsor young people through education in return for service -- as a recruiter, my expertise is in skills shortages. I watch daily as students from overseas take jobs that cost companies visa's and relocations - because our US citizens just dont have the skills. So...what if, you didnt want to be a computer programmer....BUT if IBM paid for your undergraduate degree....if you signed up to work for them for 3 - 4 years....and then made your way, learned how to.....make your choices and have OPTIONS because now you are educated and in the workforce....how hard would it be to go back to school....become the artist, the historian, the math teacher you always wanted to be.... or perhaps even find out that IBM is a good place to work - become a manager, become an executive. I have seen the cost of hiring, the cost of firing, the cost of skills not found here in the US.....the cost of sponsoring a good student, through a mid level school -- is far less than waiting and working and hiring people from overseas. Make education a SERVICE structure that we repay. Extended internships - because lets face it - we dont grow up till we are 28 anyway.
    4) MORE SERVICE.....foreign goverments need our skills, our networks......what if what our students learn in high school is more valuable to children in a village school in Africa than we can imagine. Service overseas....becoming a teaching assistant, becoming a distance learning coach....why wouldnt foreign goverments sponsor our children through higher education in return for service to them? They dont have much money, but what they do have and what non profits share with them -- could be more effectively channeled into teaching those philanthropists who will spend 4 years back in that developing country -- sharing that knowledge. Idealistic I know - but heck isnt that what this site is about?
    5) Universally acknowledged educational attainment -- across Europe is the baccaleureat...a broad based degree which is recognized by a multitude of countries - what if we could establish universal educational attainment in medicine (doctors from France dont have to re-certify their degrees to practice in the US).....just more opportunity to create a global community of shared higher education,
    6) LONG TERM HIGHER EDUCATION....what if we could drive more segmented vocational qualifications that are recognized by business and government alike....for some.....it might take ten years to become a fully qualified radiologist.....but during those ten years....what if they could learn and earn at the same time. We need to take a hard look at jobs, segementation of skills, rarity of badly needed teachers and nurses....and ask ourselves is there a way to educate people over longer periods....making them productive in more narrow fields in the short term and effective broad qualifications in the long term.
    7) ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION....is the reason youths are not making it successfully through higher education or into higher education because we are failing them in elementary and high school....is it because we are failing to demonstrate to them the possibilities and motivation of achievement. We need to assess and reassess and take a good hard look at whether we are truly building not only capable students but students who are ready and more importantly WILLING....WHERE DOES WILLING AMBITION TO LEARN AND EXCEL come from???? This is the motivation and HUNGER we need to create.
    FINALLY --- education and motivation and morals and conviction and the belief in succeeding against the odds - starts at home. We have to be a nation of parental optimism....we have to educate parents -- not in academia or law or medicine.....but in the ability to navigate the impossible....find the resources....stay resilient...and build children of unflinching ambition and reslience and toughness....in the attainment of the goal of betterment, for themselves and their communities. Parents need to have community and familial responsibilities -- rebuilt back into their DNA. Change this....revert back to the no nonsense....get it done attitude of byegone eras, scrap the entitled "there is no PAIN for my child in the world" post baby boom era --  and you can change more than we can possibly imagine.

    These are my suggestions. Idealistic. Wildly impossible at times -- but food for thought. And isnt that the whole point......

    Suggested by sophie kitson on 01/20/2009 @ 09:47PM PT

  9. Maria Usacheva

    I think that the age requirements sould be different - for example, why is there a limitation at 30 years old. After the former students are 30 they can't study anymore? Maybe it would be better instead of outlining the max. age at which they qualify, make it target the minimum age. I mean - the number of years spent in the country. For example,- if a student came here before 16 and spent 5 years in the country. This way those who are 30 now but came here at the age of 15, will also qualify and can study as well. They are probably more desperate for change of situation too than those who came here at 15 and spent here a year... Or maybe there should be no limitation on age at all, as long as they came here before they were 16.

    Suggested by Maria Usacheva on 01/20/2009 @ 08:33PM PT

  10. Kurt Thialfad

    My suggestion would be to strike the term "immigrant" from the text of the bill, and replace it with the broader "foreigner".  By definition, an "immigrant" is a legal immigrant; one who has expressed the desire to permanently change his allegiance; and who is possession of an immigrant visa which defines his status.
    The word foreigner includes the legal immigrant, as well as anyone one else who hold a citizenship other than American.  So that would include the illegal immigrants at which this bill is targeted.

    Suggested by Kurt Thialfad on 01/20/2009 @ 11:10AM PT

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