News Archives - 2010
Making history in Washington, D.C.
During his spring break, Augsburg junior Juventino Meza Rodriguez traveled to Washington, D.C. With members of the Minneapolis and St. Paul communities and with 200,000 others, he participated in the March for America, an immigration reform rally. He was also able to witness the House of Representatives' passing of the healthcare reform bill. The next day, Meza Rodriguez delivered Augsburg's DREAM Act resolution to Congressman Keith Ellison and was able to talk with him.
In the weeks prior to spring break, Augsburg's Day Student Senate passed this resolution to show support for comprehensive immigration reform and for the DREAM Act (Development, Relief & Education for Alien Minors). This act would allow undocumented persons who entered the country before the age of 16 and obtained a high school diploma to be granted citizenship after completing a two-year college degree or two years of military service.
What follows are Meza Rodriguez' reflections on his experience in D.C.
March for America
On March 20, I went with a delegation of immigrant advocates from Minnesota to Washington D.C. Our delegation was sponsored by the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota.
Prior to leaving we were given yellow badges that said we were going to remain in silence and would only speak after consulting a lawyer. It was an act of solidarity between those documented and undocumented in the bu. Everyone—56 people including young and old, students and workers, pastors and lay people, blacks, Latinos, and whites—was undocumented for the whole trip. If immigration were to stop us, no one was to break the solidarity vow we had taken.
On Sunday, we arrived at the National Mall, which was crowded with thousands of people chanting all around us. I wore my high school graduation cap and gown in spirit of representing students, equal access to education and jobs, and young people. At the march there were people from all over the country, from all walks of life. In different languages we all shared the same message: We need Comprehensive Immigration Reform this year!
Many speakers echoed that message including Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez, champion on immigration reform. The president of the NAACP, Benjamin Todd Jelous, spoke as well. He talked about how this march was connected to the Civil Rights march of 1963. Young people were included as well, some whom I met last February at a DREAM Act conference. Many representatives of the government, faith-based coalitions, unions, non-profits, and colleges and universities were there as well.
Delivering DREAM Act Resolution
On March 22, I was fortunate to attend a meeting with Rep. Keith Ellison, Sen. Al Franken, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar. I went with a group of people to speak to an Ellison aide about what we wanted: a comprehensive immigration reform that had a path to citizenship, kept families together, humane enforcement at the borders, tackled roots of immigration, and of course a bill that put emphasis in education. As we were meeting with Ellison's aide, someone from within the office came and told us Mr. Ellison was about to be done with a meeting and that he would like to meet with us.
Mr. Ellison then met with us and talked to us about why he supports comprehensive immigration reform and what we need to do in the next couple of months. At the end of the meeting I delivered the DREAM Act Resolution the Augsburg Day Student Government passed on February 24, 2010. We then went to meet with aides of Sen. Franken and Sen. Klobuchar. I also delivered a copy of the DREAM Act Resolution to them.
As we were about to return to Minnesota, we found out that our bus had broken down. It only delayed us, but our spirits were high and all of us were excited for what had happened. I was such a proud Auggie!
This was a message that we are working hard to pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform and the DREAM Act, so that every student is able to use the degree they worked so hard to receive—a degree that really beats all odds.
Inside Augsburg showcases the experiences of Augsburg College students, alumni, staff, and faculty. Send your story idea to marcomm@augsburg.edu.
