Rallies for the DREAM Act Continue Across the Nation

Activists for the immigration reform DREAM Act are preparing a rally tomorrow in Harrisonburg, Virginia that they hope will raise attention and support from Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va. Virginia’s other Democratic senator, Jim Webb, is a known advocate of the Act, and voted in favor of it in 2007.

If passed, the federal legislation will give undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children, the opportunity to gain citizenship over a six-year period. Eligible applicants must have entered the U.S. before the age of 16, and will need to either serve in the military or pursue a degree at a college or university. 

The bill could potentially affect hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants currently living in the U.S.. The Urban Institute estimates that 65,000 undocumented immigrants graduate from American high schools each year and are currently ineligible for citizenship.

Tomorrow’s event follows numerous other DREAM Act rallies that took place in recent weeks across the nation, including a sit-in last month at Sen. John McCain’s, R-Ariz. office that resulted in four arrests.

Wednesday’s effort is being organized by the group DREAM Activist Virginia. The rally will commence with a march through downtown Harrisonburg, and end with a series of speakers at Court Square. For more information on this event and DREAM Activist Virginia, check out their Facebook page.

Event Details
When: 5 p.m.
Where: The Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church
Who: Open to the public