This is what the DREAM Act looked like federally when Obama was president. This has not officially been passed into federal law, but it is crucial as it reflects what was promised to students during Ju Hong’s time in school. If it were passed then, it would have greatly improved the lives of undocumented students.[15]
The statewide DREAM Act was actually passed by Governor Jerry Brown, and Ju Hong specifically cites this in his article. This move greatly helped the situation of students like Ju in California. Unfortunately, only a handful of other states, such as New York, Texas, and Illinois, have implemented a statewide DREAM act.[7]
In response to DREAM failing to pass both houses, Obama took the step of introducing the DACA immigration policy. This was initiated by President Obama in 2012, and Ju Hong is a DACA recipient. DACA is essentially a policy that defers the potential deportment of an undocumented student by two years and provides eligibility on a work permit.[10] Read More