MONDAY TOP NEWS LINKS:
Laura Isensee, KUHF Public Radio
The immigration bill in Congress could provide a path to citizenship to 11 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States. That includes about one million young people who came here as children. They call themselves DREAMers. A new book highlights some of their stories here in Houston.
When she was growing up in Houston, Thailandia Alafitta thought the word “undocumented” meant just one thing.
“It only meant we couldn’t go to Mexico.” That’s where her family’s from.
But when she was a senior in high school, it took on new meaning. She was short $2,000 for college.
“I was freaking out. I was crying I was like, “it’s just two thousand dollars! Can’t you just come up with that, Dad or Mom?” You know, and they’re like, We can’t. I remember I couldn’t apply for any loans.”
Because she didn’t have a social security number. “And I was just really lucky that I had a friend who was going to A&M that year with me and he was like we’re only going there by ourselves, so I’m going to let you borrow $2,000 dollars.”
Thailandia graduated from Texas A&M in 2011.
Like her, other young immigrants have similar experiences in high school.
(Read and listen to more of this story at KUHF Public Radio)
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NATION & WORLD:
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- Education Reform Movement Learns Lesson From Old Standards (NPR)
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