It’s the goal of immigrant youth-led advocacy group United We Dream to achieve equality to access to higher education for all, and specifically undocumented immigrants.
Today was a national day of action for the group, and local affiliate Dream Act Oklahoma was one of the participants.
Chanting messages like, “Education not deportation,” students rallied at 6th and Boston downtown today during lunchtime.
Kasey Hughart is a cofounder of Dream Act Oklahoma who helped organize today’s rally.
“It’s really hard to live in such a conservative state, that’s always terrorizing the immigrant community,” Hughart said, “when in fact we’re contributing to the community.”
As part of the rally, supporters were asked to add their signatures to a banner reading, “Right 2 Dream: Undocumented and Unafraid.”
One of those who signed the banner was Congressional hopeful and local businessman John Olson.
“We are right now getting rid of one of the greatest resources we have in the country that’s going to spur economic development,” Olson said. “And if we don’t fix it, we’re going to fall farther and farther behind the rest of the world economically, educationally.”
One of the causes for which the group advocates is the Dream Act, which would create a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who earn at least a two-year degree or serve two years in the military.