Echos of tolerance and liberty still resonate through the streets of small towns, the offices of large corporations and the hallways of universities. The sculptors of the United States based its government upon these two values as drawn from religious practices and political thought. Eventually, these virtues were extended not only to all classes and groups of people living under the veil of the American flag, but also across a variety of areas – including suffrage, civil rights and education.

There is still a group of individuals, however, who live in alienation – neglected due to a burden that has become inseparable from its members’ identity. These are students who are unable to realize the right to an education and all the opportunities that we as a society take for granted. They are encumbered by a title they have been forced to bear since they stepped foot on American soil. These students – who have inherited the title of “undocumented immigrant” – face challenges that most of us do not even know exist.

Many mistakenly view illegal immigrants exclusively as individuals who have overstayed their welcome in a country that offers opportunities and advantages too readily. The reality is that many did not choose to come to this country. Children who immigrate with their parents unknowingly accept a burden they would not face in their native country. They become, by default, illegal immigrants.

These children bear the onus of belonging fully neither to America nor to their parents’ native country. Many have lived in the United States for the majority of their lives – so they feel part of American society, culture and tradition. Yet, they cannot receive the benefits and opportunities available to most students their age – such as financial aid, a social security number and the ability to travel abroad. Returning to their home country would mean stepping into a culture they have only been partially exposed to, with no guarantee that they will be able to re-enter the United States. These immigrants are stuck in an intermediate zone with an identity that cannot fully be called their own – and current immigration law hardly makes it easier to relieve the burden of their status.

Out of the 2.8 million students who graduate from U.S. high schools every year, 65,000 are living in the country illegally. Although America’s devotion to universal education means that these students can attend public schools and – in some states – community colleges, it is very difficult for them to realize the full intellectual possibilities that can be found at four-year universities.

Currently, there is no immigration law that separates the identity of these illegal students from their parents. Undocumented children cannot receive a legal residence status unless their parents do as well. Because that process can be slow and difficult, it can force undocumented children of immigrants to put a hold on their higher education.

There is, however, a piece of federal legislation proposed by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) – called the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act – that would open many doors for undocumented immigrant students. The DREAM Act would provide conditional residence for illegal students who have received a GED, potentially making it much easier for them to enroll in four-year schools.

The DREAM Act is a vital piece of legislation that finally makes the distinction between conscious choice and unknowingly accepted burden. As a former illegal immigrant myself, I understand all too well the difficult path that needs to be taken to achieve your intellectual dreams when you are forced to carry an identity that you did not choose. In a society where intellectual pursuit and the love for learning are of utmost importance, how can we limit individuals because of an undocumented status passed on from their parents? In the increasingly globalized world in which we live, there is no room for ignorance. We need to acknowledge that not every illegal immigrant is the same, and that recognizing the distinction can make a world of a difference.

Marzena Zukowska is a freshman in the School of Foreign Service.

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