Hunger strike held near Hagan's Raleigh office
DURHAM (MCT) — In the 90 degree weather on Wednesday, three local residents were on a hunger strike.
Their goal: A road to citizenship.
Rosario Lopez, a Durham resident, together with two others, set up camp earlier this week in downtown Raleigh not far from U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan's office, hoping they can persuade the Tar Heel Democrat to support the DREAM Act, a piece of legislation that would put young illegal immigrants on a conditional path to eventual citizenship.
Lopez was brought to the U.S. by her parents when she was 13 and went to local schools, including UNC Chapel Hill, where despite having to pay out of state tuition because she was not considered a resident, she found financial backing and graduated in 2003 with a degree in biology.
Since then, she has had difficulty finding a job because she does not have a social security number. Lopez hopes to earn a Ph.D. in Immunology some day.
"We are good citizens," she said. "We want to show that we'd be able to give up everything for it."
The group plans to hold the hunger strike indefinitely, until they can meet with Hagan and get her backing of the immigration bill.
"I believe the DREAM Act should be considered in the context of comprehensive immigration reform. I strongly believe that the United States must take the necessary steps to fix the way we handle illegal immigration, and I am committed to achieving practical, bipartisan, comprehensive reform that will protect taxpayers and address the problem of illegal immigration at its core," Hagan said in an e-mailed statement.
The DREAM Act proposes a path to permanent residency for law-abiding, young illegal immigrants who were brought to the U.S. by their parents.
The act applies to those who came to the U.S. before the age of 16, who have lived here for at least five years, and graduated from high school or received a GED. Those eligible would get temporary residency for six years while they enroll in higher education or serve in the military for two years. After that, they can apply for permanent residency.
Each year, more than 65,000 high school students graduate as undocumented individuals without access to affordable higher education, according to Lopez's group, N.C. DREAM Team.
"There are so many people who are in this situation," Lopez said.
Lopez said they've received some positive reactions from passersby. When asked about criticisms of illegal immigrants as they strive for citizenship, she replied that she could understand the opposing point of view.
"I understand their point because they want justice," she said. "But I did not make that decision 1/8to immigrate]."
"I was only 13," she said. "It's different."
"Without the DREAM Act my college diploma will continue to be just another piece of paper without any value," Lopez said on the group's website. "The dream act, because it will allow many students, in my situation, to continue their education, because it will allow us to stay in the place we call home."
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