The California Supreme Court in a monumental 4-3 decision overtuned the voter ban on same-sex marriage today, making California only the second state to approve marriage equality. 

I hesitated about posting this news here but since it is undocumented youth space, OUR space, and it does affect some of our lives, I had to share my elation. We have straight and gay DREAMers in our community who cried with joy at this news along with our brothers and sisters because even if it doesn't mean immigration equality, it means we are one step closer to achieving it for same-sex couples. As Gavin Newsom said in his press conference today, when California rolls, the rest of the nation rolls with us.

Playing ping-pong with the future of our students in North Carolina continues as now the Community College system has clarified that undocumented students in the system already can remain. The policy has supposedly changed 4 times, but the NC Community College system has still barred future enrollment of any undocumented students. The NC university system continues to be open for undocumented students although it is quite unaffordable for most students who would have to pay out-of-state tuition.

Just to clarify something the community leader said in this video as an answer to "So, why don't undocumented students apply for citizenship?" The answer is simply not that it is a lengthy and expensive process but also because most undocumented students are simply ineligible for citizenship--there is NO LINE to get into if your parents brought you here illegally. The DREAM Act grants students that line.

The ICE raid of Agriprocessors, a meat packing plant, is the largest in the history of Iowa, leading to the arrests of about 390 workers on charges of aggravated identity theft, unlawful use of Social Security numbers and other related offenses. And yet again, the employers of these undocumented migrants, Agriprocessors Inc., would probably walk away scot-free, hiring more undocumented workers when the raids are forgotten. After all, Agriprocessors Inc. has a history of non-compliance with federal and state laws, and since the owner is a major contributor to the Republican Party, Agriprocessors has been allowed to operate with small fines now and then. 

Rounding up migrant workers to arrest and charge them is not the solution to stopping illegal immigration. It rips families apart, spreading a climate of fear throughout the community, shutting down more businesses, while opening up jobs for a new pool of undocumented workers to fill up. Postville, Iowa, has turned into a ghostown—the raids putting the town into serious economic jeopardy according to residents. If ICE was serious about stopping illegal immigration, the agency would focus on reducing the incentives for undocumented migrants, which includes making it tougher for employers to hire them and getting UCSIS to resolve the issue of visa backlogs.

The debate over college admissions for undocumented students continues in North Carolina even after clarification from the U.S. Customs and Enforcement that federal law did not prohibit undocumented immigrants from seeking higher education.

"Until we receive further clarification, we will no longer admit individuals classified as illegal or undocumented immigrants into curriculum degree programs."

What further clarification is needed?

PBS has now done a series on “Immigrant Detainees- A New Profit Center?” giving us a look into how the private corrections industry is profiting from immigrants held in detention facilities.

"Sometimes they get food...sometimes they don't... It's freezing in the winter time … and we have a lot of detainees that get sick."

The Washington Post just came out with a closer look at the system of neglect that characterizes immigrant detention. You can access that here. 

It costs an average of $100 per day of our tax dollars to house these immigrants—without proper food and medical facilities most of the time—behind bars, sometimes for long periods.

Victor Napoles (21), an undocumented immigrant, is facing deportation to Mexico after barking back at the dog of a border patrol agent at a traffic light.

What started off as a late-night silly joke a year ago has turned into a nightmare for a fellow DREAMer and his family. Napoles, who has been fighting his deportation case for almost a year now, says that he had no idea that such a small act could lead to such drastic consequences.

"I was taking my friend home and was at a stoplight when an unmarked Durango drove up next to me," Napoles said. "The dog in the car started barking at me and I thought, 'Why not?' and barked back. I had no idea it was a Border Patrol's dog." Shortly after the light turned green and Napoles drove away, he noticed flashing police lights and pulled over. "The first thing the officer said was, 'Why were you barking at my dog?'" Napoles said. "I was dumbfounded."

It is really heartening to see more students come out and organize for the DREAM Act. The above is an effort that was started by OneDream2009, a group of 20 undocumented students in the San Francisco Bay Area. 

Yet, instead of working separately, we should branch out and seek to connect with more student groups. The good news is that the online student advocacy efforts for the DREAM Act are well-linked and growing with this site, numerous student blogs, DreamAct.info and the newly constructed DreamActivist.org, an effort by DREAMers across the United States working together online. 

For the past few months, we have witnessed conflicting points of views expressed by the public officials in North Carolina on whether to allow undocumented students access to postsecondary education. Yesterday, the U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) clarified once and for all that federal law did not prohibit undocumented immigrants from attending colleges.

Last year, David J. Sullivan, assistant to the president for legal affairs for the North Carolina community college system, wrote to the leaders of the 58 community colleges that, “notwithstanding any policy of the local board, colleges should immediately begin admitting undocumented individuals” as out-of-state residents. Governor Easley agreed while the systemwide President, Martin Lancaster issued a statement saying

"For North Carolina to be competitive in a global economy, it must depend on a knowledge-based workforce which makes it imperative that every future worker in North Carolina receive as much education as possible.  To deny a significant portion of tomorrow’s workforce any higher education opportunities will not only hurt these young people who came to North Carolina through no fault of their own, but it will also significantly diminish their incomes forever. The consequences to North Carolina are reduced tax collections and potential payments for social services and incarceration long into the future.  This will hit the pocketbooks of those who now oppose maximizing the earning capacity of everyone who lives in North Carolina. This ill-advised position would hurt North Carolina and its economic future and will increase the tax burden of those now screaming the loudest."

Yet, this past week the Attorney General of North Carolina wrongly interpreted federal immigration law, stating that it prohibited undocumented immigrants from attending colleges and North Carolina must stop doing so immediately. This misperception is shared by many and it is about time our officials responsible for upholding immigration law clarified that there was no law on the books that prohibited postsecondary education of undocumented immigrants.

Aspiring and talented artist, Meynardo Garcia (18), who has lived here since he was 10, is facing deportation to Mexico. Newsie and I both blogged about this today so I would like to focus on the impact of his deportation, rather than the story. You can read the entire article here. 

Part of a talented Generation 1.5 of students that are nonetheless treated like criminals in this country, it is disheartening to see an honest, talented and hardworking young student like Meynardo Garcia--who is well-liked by many at his school and a pride to his community--to have his dreams cut short by our stringent immigration laws.

I have had family over from my country of origin this past week, and it has been a nightmare. Besides the fact that we are so 'out-of-touch' and I am certainly not free to 'entertain' people, I really dislike their prying questions. The one I faced this morning really while I was getting ready for work was: "You should learn to drive. Then next time we are here, you can take us around." WHAT? NEXT TIME you are here??? Did you just invite yourself over at my expense? I bit my tongue and just said hurriedly that I don't have the time. What I really meant was that 1. I don't have the time to learn how to drive and 2. even if I did, I would have no time to take anyone sight-seeing.

But the little insight into my morning shows the excuses we have to make in our daily life about minuscle things such as driving a car. And I am someone who identifies as an avid cyclist with too many horror stories of vehicles trying to drive me off the road so any mention of 'driving' makes me angry for not only the fact that I cannot drive or get a license. Having to depend on other family members or your girlfriends to drive you around is so tedious and being the independent type, I take my bicycle everywhere. Besides, it is good for the environment, inexpensive, good exercise and more flexible in traffic. And a car is expensive and requires much more maintenance and fees, not to mention the ever-increasing costs of gasoline.

Are those enough excuses? What excuses do you give?