By Petr Klemens and Paige Stroshine

1. By Petr Klemens and Paige Stroshine

2. The Issue On average 2.8 million students graduate high school in the United States. But 50,000 to 65,000 of the students are illegal aliens. After high school their future looks grim because they cannot find work or follow their dreams because they are undocumented. They lose hope because its almost impossible to achieve their DREAMS.

3. Who are these students? The children of parents who arrived to the United States illegally and now are suffering the consequences of their parents decisions. The students who will not be able to continue on to college to pursue their dreams. Instead, they are forced to find low wager jobs. They are capable, intelligent young men and women, educated in the United States school systems, are not able to rise to their true potential.

4. Inspirational Story Eric Balderas is an example of how an illegal immigrant who was brought to the united states by his mother at the age of 4 has achieved all his dreams. Now attending Harvard and studying molecular biology, Eric is one of the future scientists of the United states. He came here illegally with his mother but he succeed against all odds.

5. His Story… Eric has lived in the US since he was four years old. His mother left Mexico fleeing from domestic violence taking Eric with her. Having grown up here in the US and been raised speaking English, he really doesn’t have any memories of his homeland and doesn’t even speak Spanish very well. The Dream Act would give this young man the citizenship that he truly deserves. He has grown up here and studied here, doesn’t he deserve the same rights as his peers?

6. Our Community I work at DuPage Community Clinic, which is the only free medical clinic in DuPage County. We serve over 6,000 people in a year. One day I met a boy name Juan*. He was going to be graduating from the high school in my city. His story saddened me deeply because he was not going to have the same opportunities as me. He arrived in the USA illegally at the age of 3 with his parents and three sisters. He had good grades in school and was on varsity soccer. He told me that he would not be able to continue to study or work because he had no papers. Instead, he was going to pay for a false visa so he could find work. Juan* had worked hard all of his high school career but now had to resort to crime to gain his freedom.

7. What if… What if Juan didn’t have to compromise his values or morals to gain his freedom? If he could be rewarded for all his hard work and determination? What if you didn’t know your homeland nor the native language? All your memories of family, vacations, school, and friends, are in the United States. Your true homeland that you have grown up in this culture with the same customs, foods, traditions, etc. The undocumented students will always just stay looking in from the outside.

8. What if… What if these students, who were brought illegally over the borders of the united states with their parents, could have the same opportunity as their fellow peers and continue to have an education or to be an active and proud part of the United States military?

9. What if… What if they could use their abilities and talents in society so it would benefit the country as a whole, these high school graduates could earn legal status in the united states ….

10. The Dream Act • The passing of the Dream Act would benefit the United States because it would benefit the armed forces by allowing thousands of well educated qualified men and women to enlist. The country as a whole have more tax payers, educated individuals and diversity yin the work force, more college graduates.

11. Solution? We want to see the passage of the Dream Act by the Senate. We will take action by sending this presentation to Illinois senator Dick Durbin. Our solution is sound and plausible because it would give these immigrant students the opportunity to become a fully active and effective US citizen, They would be working and contributing to the Us Economy and society.