To:                  University Community

From:              John D. Welty, President

A number of faculty and staff on campus have asked how they might be supportive of the federal DREAM Act, which may be addressed by Congress this month. I suggest those interested immediately send a fax or call members of our Central Valley congressional delegation and ask them to support the DREAM Act and make it a reality.

The DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) is bipartisan legislation that addresses the situation faced by young people who were brought to the United States as undocumented immigrant children and who have since grown up here, stayed in school and kept out of trouble.

Under current law, these young people generally derive their immigration status solely from their parents, and if their parents are undocumented or in immigration limbo, most have no mechanism to obtain legal residency, even if they have lived most of their lives here in the U.S.

The DREAM Act would provide such a mechanism for those who are able to meet certain conditions. It would enact two major changes in current law:

• Permit certain immigrant students who have grown up in the U.S. to apply for temporary legal status and to eventually obtain permanent status and become eligible for U.S. citizenship if they go to college or serve in the U.S. military; and

• Eliminate a federal provision that penalizes states that provide in-state tuition without regard to immigration status.

If you want to lend your support, here is a list of Valley representatives that you may phone or fax:

·       Devin Nunes – phone 202-225-2523, fax 202-225-3404

·       Jim Costa – phone 202-225-3341, fax 202-225-9308

·       George Radanovich – phone 202-225-4540, fax 202-225-3402

·       Dennis Cardoza - 202-225-6131, fax 202-225-0819

·       Jerry McNerney – phone 202-225-1947, fax 202-225-1947

·       Kevin McCarthy – phone 202-225-2915, fax 202-225-2908

·       Howard “Buck” McKeon – phone 202-225-1956, fax 202-226-0683