A banner outside of Gov. Bob McDonnell's town hall urged him to support the DREAM Act.
Isabel Castillo graduated from Turner Ashby High School with a 4.0 grade point average. She graduated from Eastern Mennonite University magna cum laude with a degree in social work. As she told Governor Robert McDonnell her story at a town hall meeting on August 26th, he nodded and congratulated her for her achievements. Then, she dropped the bombshell: she is undocumented.
A hush fell over the room. As she choked back tears, she pleaded with the Governor to endorse the DREAM Act, a bill that would allow for undocumented immigrants who were brought into the country at a young age to continue their education and eventually become citizens.
“Why not give us the opportunity to give back to our communities?” Castillo asked McDonnell. “This is home to me. I’m an American.”
“I can’t, because what that does is to look the other way… The federal government has done a lousy job [addressing immigration] … I’m the governor of Virginia, and I have very little authority to enforce federal law,” McDonnell responded.
This exchange was the climax of a 5-hour protest against section 287 (g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. In pamphlets handed out at the protest, 287 (g) and similar immigration laws are referred to as a “hemorrhaging injustice in our society.”
“287 (g) is a contract between law enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security that would give them the power to stop anyone who looks ‘suspicious’ of being undocumented. It’s basically legal racial profiling,” Castillo said.
Supporters of the DREAM Act, or DREAMers as they are informally known, held signs, which they later raised as Castillo questioned McDonnell. Many wore shirts that read, “The dream is coming.” A small group participated in classes held on the grassy lawn just outside of the James Madison University Federal Conference and Student Center, where McDonnell was speaking. These classes were on a variety of topics such as pending legislation and civil rights.
“I at least hope [McDonnell] knows there are supporters [of his] who oppose this legislation here in Virginia,” Castillo said.
Castillo says that in addition to fighting for herself, she is fighting for other undocumented children in the area. HHS alumna Maria Martinez is among those whom Castillo cites as her motivation.
Last year, Martinez received a one-year deferment after being nearly deported. Like Castillo, she graduated from high school with honors and is now attending Eastern Mennonite University.
“At Blue Ridge [Community College], she was paying out-of-state tuition. She goes to EMU now and it’s private, so it’s all the same. She has multiple part time jobs to put herself through school. She has to help take care of her family. She signed up to be a Big Sister at Big Brothers/Big Sisters. She also volunteers at her church. She’s just an amazing person,” collaborating English teacher and Martinez’s mentor Sandy Mercer said.
Spanish teacher Phil Yutzy wasted no time characterizing Martinez as just that: “amazing.”
“[When I had her in class], she was very responsible. She always got her work done. She was helpful, involved and engaged in class. She participated. She was respectful and a great person to have around. She never put anyone off– all the other students liked her, too,” Yutzy said.
Indeed, Martinez was so involved in Yutzy’s Spanish for Native Speakers class that she began tutoring students in introductory level Spanish classes.
“She tutored in Spanish 2 and students all loved having her around. She was able to help them with their language learning. She is an amazing person,” Yutzy said.
Despite all this, Martinez’s one-year-deferment has expired and she is at risk of being deported again.
“Her one-year deferment from last year has expired so we’ve filed again and we’re waiting to hear back. We should find out in September,” Mercer said.
Mercer says she and Martinez are less worried about her deferral being granted than they were last year. The Obama administration has indicated they will not continue deportation proceedings against non-criminal immigrants. While these immigrants are not being granted citizenship, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official told NBC News that they had “other, more pressing deportation priorities” than “a juvenile who spent the vast majority of their life here.”
Still, undocumented immigrants are subject to changes in the political environment. A shift in immigration policy could place their status at risk. Thus, DREAMers continue fighting in hopes of becoming United States citizens.
Castillo is perhaps their most ardent fighter. In July, she was arrested after staging a sit-in at Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) office.
“I was in Sen. Reid’s office and asking him to put it up for a vote. All of our protests, everything we do, is peaceful, but I was arrested,” Castillo said
Castillo says despite being arrested, Reid was more receptive to her message than McDonnell.
“[Reid] said he would put it up for a vote this year if he has the 60 votes for it to pass. He doesn’t want to fail all these kids, he doesn’t want to disappoint us. He does support it. Sen. Webb voted yes on the DREAM Act in 2007 and Warner says he will not co-sponsor, but he would vote yes if it is put up for a vote,” Castillo said.
“There are the kinds of people we want in our community,” Mercer said. “Passing the DREAM Act is a common sense solution and a win-win situation.”
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