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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 5001 COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 5001 A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE PASSAGE OF THE DEVELOPMENT, RELIEF, AND EDUCATION FOR ALIEN MINORS (DREAM) ACT, WHICH AUTHORIZES THE CANCELLATION OF REMOVAL AND THE ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS FOR CERTAIN IMMIGRANT YOUTHS WHO ARE COLLEGE BOUND AND ARE LONG TERM UNITED STATES RESIDENTS AND PERMIT STATES TO DETERMINE STATE RESIDENCY FOR PURPOSES OF HIGHER EDUCATION. PASSED: 8/0 REJECTED: OPPOSED: ABSENT: CONSIDERED: March 8, 2010 RESOLUTION NO. 5001 A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE PASSAGE OF THE DEVELOPMENT, RELIEF, AND EDUCATION FOR ALIEN MINORS (DREAM) ACT, WHICH AUTHORIZES THE CANCELLATION OF REMOVAL AND THE ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS FOR CERTAIN IMMIGRANT YOUTHS WHO ARE COLLEGE BOUND AND ARE LONG TERM UNITED STATES RESIDENTS AND PERMIT STATES TO DETERMINE STATE RESIDENCY FOR PURPOSES OF HIGHER EDUCATION. The City Council of the City of Eugene finds that: A. Each year 65,000 undocumented students, who have lived in the United States for over five years, graduate from American high schools. B. These students face overwhelming obstacles in accessing higher education due to their immigration status, which makes them ineligible for federal financial aid and requires them to pay out-of-state tuition for those attending state universities despite their long-term residency within our country. C. Many of these children reside in Eugene and surrounding communities and attend the public schools. However, many of them drop out of high school, and are discouraged from studying because they see no incentive in pursuing higher education due to barriers to access. D. There are approximately 2 million children who were born outside of the U.S., raised and educated in this country with no legal status, hold American values, know only the United States as home, and have the same dreams, goals and aspirations as other American children. E. These children came to the United States due to their parents’ actions and did not take part in any decision to circumvent the immigration laws of this country. F. Undocumented immigrants make vital contributions to the economic stability and cultural richness of the United States, yet remain vulnerable to exploitation, victimization and stigmatization as long as they are denied legal immigration status and meaningful access to higher education. G. The Dream Act is a bipartisan legislation effort to address this problem, supported by Senators Merkley and Wyden and co-sponsored by Congressmen Blumenauer and Wu. H. The United States Supreme Court has determined that every state has a constitutional obligation to provide free public primary and secondary education to all children residing within their borders regardless of their immigration status. Resolution - Page 1 of 2