DREAM Act Letter to Council
October 12, 2009
Honorable City of Portland Council Members,
Portland's Human Rights Commission applauds your resolve as Council
members to bring state and federal attention to the struggles that immigrant
students face in their attempts to access higher education. As members of the
Portland Human Rights Commission, we believe that The "DREAM Act"
unleashes the vast potential of thousands of young students, giving them the
freedom to dream of a future with genuine educational and employment
opportunities. The DREAM Act specifically would allow young people in our
community who came to this country with their parents as young children – and
who have been educated in our school systems -- the same opportunities as their
peers. The act also restores states’ rights to determine residency requirements for
in-state tuition and establishes a path to legal status and eventual citizenship for
undocumented youth.
A growing number of states (including Utah, Illinois, Oklahoma, Washington,
Texas, California, and New York) have recently enacted state legislation
providing immigrant students greater access to in-state tuition rates. Passing the
resolution before you sends an important message to Oregon citizens and the
rest of the country.
We, the undersigned, have deliberated on these resolutions. We believe that the
provisions of the DREAM Act bring us closer as a nation to ensuring that all
children and youth can fulfill their fundamental right to education. We thank
you in advance for furthering educational equity through your resolutions in
support of the DREAM Act.
Sincerely,
Portland Human Rights Commissioners:
Jeff Cogen, Chair Rev. Hector Lopez
Abdul Majidi, Vice-Chair Donna D. Maxey
Arwen Bird Evertte L. Rice
Donita Fry Kathleen Saadat
Anastasia Godsey Edmund Sherman
Moloy K. Good
Emily G. Gottfried
Tricia Knoll