Those who willfully commit acts of civil disobedience often push the envelope with a clear purpose in mind: to call on members of society to take a hard look at their moral compass. Such is the case of the Dream 9, a group of nine undocumented immigrants turned activists. The Dream 9 are all adults raised in the United States, born abroad, and brought to the country by their parents as children.
The group chose the name Dream 9 after the legislative proposals for the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors. This legislative proposal, which has been around since the early 21st century, has been somewhat addressed by recent comprehensive immigration reform, but the lives of foreign children who are brought to the U.S. by their undocumented immigrant parents is still a thorny issue. For more information about family immigration in San Diego, click here.
The Dream 9 are mostly college students who would normally be considered promising members of American society, but their status as undocumented immigrants make their futures uncertain. They decided to take matters into their own hands by engaging in a risky act of civil disobedience and protest: They crossed the border into Mexico and attempted to return to the U.S. at the Nogales port of entry in Arizona.
As expected, the Dream 9 were stopped by immigration and border patrol officials. They were told that by exiting the U.S. they had essentially self-deported. Still, the Dream 9 presented petitions for humanitarian parole, which were declined on the spot. Then, they filed petitions for asylum, which the immigration officials must always accept. The Dream 9 were taken into custody and transferred to federal detention facilities in Arizona until their asylum status is reviewed.
Some legal experts dismissed the Dream 9 act of civil disobedience as a publicity stunt. At KS Visa Law San Diego, we believe only time will prove the effectiveness of their actions. Under recent legislation related to the status of undocumented immigrants in the United States, most of the Dream 9 could very likely qualify for temporary work permits and identification documents. These smart young adults are aware of this; their focus is on letting people know that stalling immigration reform efforts is essentially delaying the future of American society.
For more information about the Dream 9 or to learn about opportunities for permanent employment immigration in San Diego, please contact KS Visa Law today. Our expert and professional team of immigration lawyers will be able to answer any of you.
