Youth LEAD Project Citizen

1. Youth LEAD Project Citizen A Framework for Building Community Dan Prinzing, Ph.D. Phillip Price Idaho Human Rights Education Center

2. Project Citizen Portfolio:

3. Problem: “Approximately 2.8 million students will graduate from US High Schools every year. Some will go on to college; others will join the military or take another path in life. But they will get the opportunity to test their dreams and live their American story. However, a group of about 65,000 students a year will not have this opportunity because they bear the inherited title of undocumented immigrant. These highly motivated individuals have lived in the United States all their lives and want nothing more than to be given the chance to become Americans.” Tuition Costs for Idaho Universities & Colleges: Boise State University: Undocumented Students Pay: In-State: $4,632 per year Non-Resident: $13,208 per year 285% Higher Tuition University of Idaho: In-State: $4,632 per year Non-Resident: $14,712 per year 317% Higher Tuition College of Southern Idaho: In-State: $2,100 per year Non-Resident: $5,800 per year 276% Higher Tuition Salary Potential for Full-Time Workers: High School Diploma: $30,732 Associates Degree: $38,272 Bachelors Degree: $50,856 *Difference over a forty year career between High School education and a Bachelors Degree: $804,960 *In Idaho approximately 500 – 1000 undocumented students graduate each year. • Currently, in Idaho, undocumented students are required to pay out-of-state tuition even if they graduate from an in-state high school. This financial burden significantly increases the costs of higher education, and virtually eliminates the chance for most undocumented students to attend college regardless of their academic potential or moral standing. These restrictions are both wasteful of future human capital and discriminatory by holding ambitious students accountable for the illegal actions of their parents. At a time when we cannot waste our resources why make it harder for our bright students to achieve their dreams and become contributing members of our society? • These policies also significantly lower the standard of living and drastically reduce the amount of income an individual can earn over a lifetime. Thus perpetuating a culture of racial economic inequality. • Moreover, this specific example of injustice is in clear violation of articles delineated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR): • Article 1: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. • Article 7: All are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection of the law. • Article 26: Everyone has the right to education. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be made equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. • Sources: • dreamact.info, boisestate.edu,uidaho.edu, csi.edu, udhr.org, bls.gov, un.org “There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children.” Nelson Mandela

4. Panel 1 Explaining the Problem • Establish the context for why the problem exists in the community. • Problem statement – clearly define and present the problem. • Graphic presentation of the problem. • Sources of information.

5. Alternatives: Just two of the thousands of children affected by discriminate immigration policy. Prerna from Fiji, has been living in the U.S. since the age of 14. Belina from Mexico, has been living in the U.S. since the age of 2. • Sources: • Dreamactivist.org, nilc.org/immlawpolicy/DREAM/index.htm, ican.org • National Policy: • The DREAM Act was drafted to lessen the barriers that undocumented students face in receiving a higher education and has four basic requirements which are: Entered the country before the age of 16; • Graduate high school or obtain a GED; • Have good moral character (no criminal record) and; • You have at least five years of continuous presence in the US. • If you meet the above criteria, once the DREAM Act passes, an undocumented student will then have six years within which to obtain a two-year college degree or complete two-years of military service.  Upon doing all of this the student will gain permanent residency. PROS: • Draws national attention to the problem. • Eliminates federal penalties that hold undocumented students back from receiving a higher education. CONS: • If passed, individual states can choose to ignore the guidelines laid out in the DREAM ACT. • Immigration is a very polarizing issue in the United States and the DREAM ACT leaves much room for argument. • State Policy: • Since the Dream Act will only eliminate the federal penalties. Individual states will have final say over how to reform immigration. This is where eleven states, Texas, Kansas, Utah, Washington, New York, Oklahoma, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nebraska, California, and Illinois, have stepped in and adopted progressive public policy allowing undocumented students to pay in-state tuition. Each of these states requires that students attend a school for a certain number of years; graduate from an in-state high school; and sign an affidavit stating they are in the process of or will be in the process to legalize their immigration status. PROS: • Enhances undocumented students chances of receiving a higher education in individual states. CONS: • While it is a start, the progressive actions of these individual states does not affect nationwide change. “Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better.”Martin Luther King, Jr.

6. Gather alternative policies; clearly identify the advantages and disadvantages. Identify from whose perspective is the problem being addressed; do all stakeholders in the problem see the solution through the same problem-solving lens? Graphic presentations Sources of Information. Panel 2Examining Alternatives

7. Our Policy: *A young American citizen in every respect except proper documentation. How does our policy measure up? • After researching both national and individual state’s policies regarding undocumented student reform we found some common arguments against reforming the current system of how undocumented students are treated when it comes to achieving higher education. Two of the most common are: • Myth One: Waiving out-of-state for undocumented students is a ‘hand out’ or is somehow taking money away from the universites where they would be attending. • Myth Two: Implementing policy that gives undocumented students in-state residency violates federal law. • Fortunately, myths like these can be discredited with research. • To address myth one, Senator Richard Durbin stated that, “In-State tuition is not the same as free tuition. It is a discount, but the money paid by these students tends to increase school revenues because it represents revenue that would not otherwise be there.” • In regards to myth two, according to the National Immigration Law Center, “Contrary to the claims of immigration restrictionists, federal law does not prohibit in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants.” • In order to further combat arguments like these, close perceived controversial loopholes, and lessen opposition from individuals who oppose reforming current immigration legislation our policy will: • Frame this amendment as a merit-based scholarship award that requires a student to remain in good academic and moral standing. These stipulations would include periodic check-ins and progress reports. Failure to uphold set standards while attending college would lead to the student losing his or her in-state designation. • Stipulate that this bill only provides amnesty for the student, and will not provide a loophole for the naturalization of family members. • Utilize and argue the applicable articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (UDHR) In addition to this we will make sure our policy adheres to four common characteristics of human rights. Universal / International: Will the proposed policy apply fairly and equally to all community members? Inalienable: Does the proposed policy / action plan give traditionally marginalized or silenced community members an opportunity to speak on behalf of themselves and interact directly with law makers? Indivisible: Does the proposed policy threaten or diminish other human rights identified in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights’ 30 articles? Interdependent: Does the proposed policy strengthen or promote other human rights identified in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights’ 30 articles? • Sources: • Floor Statement of Senator Richard J. Durbin, Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act: 108th Cong., July 22, 2004 • National Immigration Law Center, Basic Facts about In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrant Students, http://www.nilc.org/immlawpolicy/DREAM/in-state_tuition_basicfacts_041706.pdf • National Immigration Law Center, 2 “Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.” George Washington Carver

8. Written explanation for your suggested policy. Graphic presentations. Sources of Information. Panel 3Proposing a Public Policy

9. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” Emma Lazarus, Inscribed at the base of the Statue of Liberty Action Plan: We will also need to go through the fundamental steps on how a bill becomes a law in Idaho. Very briefly these are: Introduce to House and Senate First, Second, & Third Readings Senate Action on House Bills Referred to Committee of the Whole Governor’s Action Pass or Fail *It is important to remember that, with the exception of Native Americans, all citizens of the United State are descendants of immigrants. Idaho Capital Building • The United States was founded on the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, however our bright young undocumented students are being systematically excluded from this dream. While immigration reform is an extremely polarizing topic in the US it is important that we attempt to allow those who want to contribute to our society to do so. • Our proposed reforms not only make good economic sense by adding much needed revenue to our academic institutions, but is also a vital step in becoming a more just nation. Just because people are different from us does not mean they should be given a different set of rights. If we are to hold ourselves accountable to the basic underlying premise of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, that we are all entitled to the same inherent rights simply by belonging to the human family, than it is apparent that current Idaho policies regarding undocumented students is not just unfair, but in fact a violation of human rights. • Immediate Action: • Write newsletter articles • Hold fundraisers • Write our congressmen / congresswomen • Distribute flyers • Talk with local leaders, friends, and family. • Organizations that can help: • Idaho Community Action Network (ICAN) • Idaho Human Rights Education Center (IHREC) • American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) • Local Immigration Lawyers & Activists • Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise • Sources: • ican.org, idaho-humanrights.org, catholicidaho.org, acluidaho.org, legislature.idaho.gov legislature.idaho.gov

10. Panel 4Developing an Action Plan • Identify the steps, stakeholders, and necessary components to influence the appropriate authority to implement the suggested class policy. • Graphic presentations. • Sources of information.

11. Optional Final Page Summary or Reflection • “Whether talking about individuals or governments, the principle that must guide us is that of human rights. If we live in a country where human rights exist and are respected, we are naturally responsible for our duties and responsibilities.” -The 14th Dalai Lama