NEWARK — They are student government leaders, high school athletes and academic achievers, but they are not United States citizens because their parents brought them here illegally. "Every year to see them. They have spent their entire educational life here, but when they graduate, they reach a road block," said Steven Rose, president of Passaic County Community College. Last...
Students in California hold signs during a rally in support of the DREAM ActNEWARK — They are student government leaders, high school athletes and academic achievers, but they are not United States citizens because their parents brought them here illegally.
"Every year to see them. They have spent their entire educational life here, but when they graduate, they reach a road block," said Steven Rose, president of Passaic County Community College.
Last week, presidents from 11 of the state’s 19 community colleges sent letters to New Jersey’s Congressional delegation urging passage of the DREAM Act, federal legislation that would offer illegal immigrant students a pathway to citizenship.
"There is absolutely no difference between these students and the others, except the others have been here a few years longer," said Rose, who signed the letter.
Others signing the Dec. 1 letter were from two-year schools in Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, and Sussex counties. All the presidents had the support of their boards of trustees.
Presidents from colleges in Morris, Somerset, Warren, Ocean, Monmouth, Atlantic, Gloucester and Salem counties did not sign the letter.
"The colleges that signed the letter had already reached a decision on the issue," said Joseph Vitale, executive director of college advancement and planning at the County College of Morris, which didn’t join in the effort because trustees haven’t reached a decision.
"It’s still in discussion," Vitale said.
Under the proposed Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, young people brought here illegally as children could earn their citizenship over time, through college enrollment or military service.
Anyone who arrived here before the age of 16, and is 34 or younger when it becomes law, would be eligible to apply for citizenship if he or she resided here for at least five continuous years and has a high school diploma or its equivalent.
About 2.1 million people nationwide would be eligible, according to one count, but not all would succeed because they don’t speak English well enough or haven’t completed high school.
In New Jersey, 90,000 would likely apply successfully, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
Democrats in Congress are pushing to pass the DREAM Act before adjourning this year.
Several of the community college presidents who signed were from New Jersey’s more urban areas.
"This was a no-brainer. You are always going to have more immigrants in urban areas. Obviously, it’s a bigger issue," Rose said. He said leaders at the Passaic college have discussed the proposal for years.
Stephen Nacco, vice president of Union County College, said the undocumented students get through school despite being ineligible for state or federal financial aid.
"These are people paying their way," Nacco said.
In the letter, college presidents said the bill would enable states to decide whether to charged in-state tuition to "undocumented students." States would not be required to make any decision.