In March, 2010 Jessica Colotl was pulled over by campus police at Kennesaw State University in Georgia.  She received a ticket for impeding the flow of traffic.  The 21-year-old college student presented the officer an expired Mexican passport instead of a valid driver’s license.  She was arrested and later released on a $2500 bond.

Jessica is an undocumented resident brought to the United States by her parents at age 11.  She excelled academically in college and has two semesters to go before graduating.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] agency granted Jessica a one-year deferral on her deportation to allow her to finish college.  She may be able to obtain an extension next year.  Jessica is hopeful that proposed legislation known as the Dream Act becomes law soon.  The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act would provide students without legal immigration status a path to become legal. The current bill is S. 729 introduced in March, 2009.

Jessica's Booking Photo, March 2010

If passed, The Dream Act could affect over 2 million young immigrants in the United States.  It was first introduced in Congress in 2001.  The present bill is limited to children who entered the U.S. before age 16 and have been in the country continuously for the past five years.  The applicant must also have a high school diploma or GED and be younger than 35.

If those requirements are met, immigrants would be allowed to stay in the U.S. for an additional six years. At the end of that period, he or she could apply for lawful permanent residence if they obtain a college degree, complete at least two years of college, or honorably serve in the military for at least two years.

Read more about the DREAM Act here.

You can track any bill introduced in Congress at the GovTrack.us. You will receive alerts when action is taken on the bill you’re tracking.

What do you think of children brought to this country who are undocumented due to no fault of their own?  They grow up here and attend college only to face deportation once their illegal status is discovered.  Should they be given a chance to become citizens without facing deportation first?  What benefit would there be in deporting a teenager or twentysomething to a country where he or she has never lived or even been to?  On the other hand, why have laws that are flaunted by illegal entry into the country?  Shouldn’t there be a consequence to violating a country’s immigration laws?  If so, what should the penalty be?  Is there a middle ground in this national debate?

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