Who are the Drunk Poeple?

"Politicians are like drunks who cannot find a key, and look for it in a wrong place"

Can you guess what this sarcastic metaphor is about? The person who gave this hilarious but much to the poit metaphor at the NYU Dream Act forum is a well-known NYU professor Marcelo Suarez-Orozco, who teaches "cultural psychology and psychological anthropology with a focus on the study of mass migration, globalization, and education" (NYU Steinhardt). He was trying to say that many politicians see Dream Act from a wrong pont of views such as security issue and labor force issues, but they actually have to consider the Act relating to "Human Dignity and Wellbeing of Children".

Oh, I whish I was able took his class! I mean he is very funny (as you can imagine from the metaphor), but at the same time, he has profound knowledge about immigration issues in and outside of the U.S. At least, I am glad I had a chance to listen to his lecture at the NYU Dream Act Forum, which was held today with large number of perticipants. I was kind surprised to see so many students(regardless their immigration status) and faculty members are interested in this burning issue.

Pro. Suarez-Orozco is in the middle of the photo.

According to his presentation, estimated 100,000 immigrant parents who have at least one U.S. citizen child have been deported from the U.S. between 1998 through 2007. The Immigration Customes and Enforcement removed 46,486 undocumented parents from the country from January to June, 2011. It is not hard to imagine what would happen to children whose parents are taken away from them...very traumatic experience may cause children increased anxiety, changing in eating, sleep disorder, withdrawal, distrust, and anger (NYTimes; Deporting Parents Hurts Kids).

Two more important figures were at the panel; Chung-Wha Hong, the Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition and Yelky Ramos, the New York Immigration Coalition Dream fellow, who is also the student of Baruch College.

Yelky told her struggles as an undocumented student who has been seeking higher education, but had hard time to realize it because of her "illegal" status. She came to the U.S. at the age of 11, and learned English and adapted American culture quickly, so that today she feels a strong sense of belonging to the country.  Fortunately, she has received financial support from her "angel" (she did not disclose who she/he was) and has studied at the Baruch College.  

All of the pannelists believe the NY should be a leading state and  pass the NY Dream Act (S4179/A6829) for the sake of not only the future of the students but the properity of the nation as a whole.

*Please visit NYU Dream Team website for further information and sign the petition!