This Thanksgiving, as I reflect on the past year, I realize that one of the things in my life for which I’m most grateful is something I used to take completely for granted: I am thankful for my citizenship.
More specifically, I’m thankful for the privileges that come with my citizenship. I am thankful for being able to study, and work in the country where I was raised and have built my life. I am thankful for the many opportunities I have to develop my skills and knowledge base and to give back to my community. I am thankful for being able to plan for a future with my family and friends.
Right now in the US, these privileges are more readily available to citizens than to immigrant members of our communities. Undocumented immigrants in particular face significant barriers to enjoying them. However, legal citizenship is often different than effective citizenship. While all undocumented immigrants lack the legal documents of state-recognized citizenship, many of them are youth who grew up in the US and are effectively “American.” These youth urgently yearn for the most basic and noble privileges of citizenship or legal status in this country: the opportunity to study, work, and give back to the country where they grew up.
In the next few weeks, Congress will have the opportunity to decide whether or not the opportunities outlined above will be granted to the over 2 million undocumented students. The DREAM Act would give these youth the opportunity to study or join the military so that they are fully able to give back to their communities and serve the country where they grew up. With these additional contributions, the nation as a whole would benefit. Hopefully, if we all stand up and voice our support for undocumented students, next year at this time, these youth, their families, friends, and communities will be able to look back at this winter and give thanks for the DREAM Act's full passage.
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