The DREAM Act was re-introduced on July 31, 2003 by Senator Orrin Hatch and currently has 15 bi-partisan co-sponsors. Despite some changes from the original version, S. 1545 will amend Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to make in-state tuition and also legal status possible for undocumented students. On April 9, 2003, Representative Chris Cannon introduced the Student Adjustment Act, which is a House bill similar to DREAM Act.
NAKASEC affiliate, YKASEC is currently carrying out street outreaches to urge community members to sign petitions in support of DREAM Act and the similar House bill, the Student Adjustment Act. The petition is a project of the New York DREAM Act Task Force, which has pledged a state total of 50,000 petitions of which YKASEC has pledged 4,000 petitions.
NAKASEC is also conducting a project to document individual stories of students themselves to put a human face on the need for the DREAM Act to be enacted. The students’ stories will be recorded on a short documentary film lasting few minutes, which will be aired in Korean ethnic channels. The goal of this project is to broaden public knowledge and support for these bills.
