Look at what I am wearing and tell me who I am

[A DREAMER] says "I hate living under a stereotype," ..."I'm Mexican, so I guess I have to be mowing lawns, selling drugs and beating up my wife, right? People look at that and say, 'He's going to be a nobody in America, so let's just kick him out.' And I don't want people putting that on me. Image is important, and it's important what other people think. If people are going to look at me as a criminal, I don't like that and that's one of the reasons it's important for me to go to school." - Houston Press

The Houston Press articles says that one particular DREAMER dresses so nicely you would never know he is undocumented. What does our style of clothing have to do with anything? Is this statement implying that people are judged whether they are authorized residents or not by the way they dress? Of course the writer was complimenting the DREAMER, but think of the meaning of his words.

It reminds me of the three women standing at a bus stop in Laredo - an officer drives by, stops and arrests only one of them - the one who didn't have papers. (see dreamacttexas post "Three Women at a Bus Stop" April 18, 2008)
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The DREAM Act Might Be Dead, But These Kids' Hopes Are Not
They are American in everything but name. They can go to college in Texas and improve themselves. Doesn't matter. At the end of the day, they're just illegal immigrants without social security numbers or futures.
Houston Press
By Chris Vogel
published: June 19, 2008

The phone was already ringing when Javier walked through the front door to his parents' house.

"Hello?" said Javier, who had just returned from the University of Houston campus where he and a group of undocumented students had been passing out pro-DREAM Act fliers just days before the U.S. Senate voted on the bill in the fall of 2007.

Officially called the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, the proposed legislation would provide a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants who wish to serve in the armed forces or attend college and whose parents brought them to the United States when they were young.

"Good evening, sir," said the man on the other end of the line. "I'd like to talk to you about opening a line of credit with our new offer from Visa in conjunction with the University of Houston. All we need is your Social Security number,"

"Oh, no thanks," said Javier. "I don't need a credit card right now."

"What, don't you have a social security number?" said the voice. "Are you a wetback? Are you scared that I'm going to turn you over to the police and you'll get thrown outta my country? Why don't you just go back to Mexico."

Javier slammed down the receiver and turned away. The phone rang again.

"Hello," answered Javier.

It was the same threatening voice, so Javier hung up once more.

"I have to say, I was really scared," says Javier (not his real name).

The next day at school, Javier told his fellow DREAM Act students what had happened.

"They said that they all had the same thing happen to them all the time," says Javier.

Even though the DREAM Act itself would only affect a relatively small number of people, it is every bit a part of the larger political dogfight that is immigration reform in this country.

Supporters argue that by providing a path to citizenship, these immigrants are able to legally work and contribute to the country both economically and socially. Critics say it's akin to a tax giveaway for people who shouldn't be here and threatens to open the floodgates for other piecemeal amnesty bills, thus deepening the overall immigration problem.

Judy Lee, chairwoman of the Texas chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers of America, says that students like Javier have fallen prey to the screaming heads on television.

"In terms of immigration legislation," she says, "you'd think this would be a slam-dunk. But it's been really twisted. I think the right wing and TV and radio people have painted it as, 'Open up the borders and let them all in.' But these are people who really want to contribute and it saddens me that people are not taking a closer look at this and are falling for the radio and TV personalities. It's disheartening and I think people are not getting all the information about the relatively few number of kids affected, how much these kids have to offer, and how it's in our own self-interest to allow them to have legal status. We've already made the investment in them through the public school system. Why not recoup our investment?.."

for link to complete Houston Press article click here