FIRE: Dream Act and PPIA

FIRE: Dream Act and PPIA

Campaign summary:

USSA is working to pass The DREAM Act, the Student Adjustment Act, and the Permanent Partners Immigration Act (PPIA), which, together, would increase access to postsecondary education for undocumented students. Read the campaign details for more information.

Campaign background:

DREAM/STUDENT ADJUSTMENT ACT

The DREAM & Student Adjustment Act were bills in the Senate and House of Representatives respectively, that would increase access for undocumented students in three ways. First, it would repeal Section 505 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA) which bars undocumented students form receiving in-state tuition. Both pieces of legislation would allow states to allow in-state tuition for these students. Secondly, it would adjust undocumented students’ immigration status to “cancellation of removal: allowing them to safely obtain legal residency. Lastly, it would allow DREAM/Student Adjustment Act applicant to receive higher education benefits, such as Pell Grants or other forms of federal financial aid. In sum, the Acts would increase access to education for students who grew up in the US and have no control over their immigration status.

In the last Congressional cycle, the Senate Judiciary Committee drastically changed the legislation in 3 main ways: it took away eligibility for all federal financial aid grants for DREAM students, it required DREAM recipients to be entered in the SEVIS (or international student tracking) system, and it excludes community service as an option for being eligible in the DREAM program. These changes drastically changed the intention of the legislation and students must now work hard to make sure that the final version of the Acts pass without these amendments.


PERMANENT PARTNER IMMIGRATION ACT (PPIA)

Many students study abroad during their time in college or come into contact with student abroad, exchange, and international students. Approximately one quarter of all doctoral students in U.S. colleges are international students. Indeed, college campuses are often world communities, ripe with learning and potential for cross-cultural, bi-national relationships, including relationships that may become long-term. The Permanent Partners Immigration Act would allow U.S. citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their same-sex partner for immigration to the United States. This would help LGBT families stay together and help retain LGBT students in higher education.


HOW TO GET INVOLVED!

Want to get more involved in working on the campaign? Contact us directly using the information on the bottom of the page. Once you contact us, we will send you our organizing manual, which outlines the 5 steps students can take on campus to make a difference in the F.I.R.E. campaign.