UNH Event Highlights Need for Immigration Reform
DURHAM – Students, faculty and interested members of the community gathered Friday at the University of New Hampshire to watch “The Dream Is Now,” a Davis Guggenheim film that tells the stories of several undocumented students who would be eligible for legal status under the Dream Act.
Alejandro leads a drill team and aspires to serve in the Marines – but he can’t enlist. Ola has the grades to become a doctor – if she doesn’t get deported first. Jose graduated from Arizona State with an engineering degree but works as a construction laborer.
The film was produced with support from Laurene Powell Jobs, widow of Steve Jobs. Among Guggenheim’s other films is “Waiting for Superman,” a film about school choice and education reform.
After the film, UNH professors Cliff Brown and Chris Reardon led a discussion about immigration reform that included discussion of Dreamers and visa reform for international students and workers.
Senators Kelly Ayotte and Jeanne Shaheen are co-sponsors of the I-squared Act, which would raise caps on H-1B visas for highly educated foreigners and eliminate caps on those obtaining advanced degrees from U.S. colleges.
This year’s cap of 65,000 H-1B visas was filled in just five days, on April 5.
Fergus@ferguscullen.com, April 19, 2013
