Student Fast for Dream Act starts in San Francisco

Who: Several students and youth, parents, school administrators, as well as education and immigration
advocates. Twenty-four participants across the state have signed up to fast for a full week, with
dozens more supporting the fast. Fasters will be visiting the offices of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and will be
joined by prominent community leaders.

Why: Students across California will lead the way for the rest of the nation as they bring attention to the plight
of thousands of talented, undocumented youth who graduate from high school and college each year with
little hope of attaining higher education or a job once out of school. With the Senate recently failing to
move forward a viable immigration reform bill, their dreams remain out of reach and hang on a string.
Now their hopes move to the House of Representatives where Congressional leaders still have an
opportunity to demonstrate their leadership by finding just, humane and workable immigration reform
solutions. Students and youth are also paying close attention to the closely related DREAM Act – which
would allow undocumented students who meet certain requirements to obtain legal residency – which has
been stalled for years by politics, though it remains widely supported by many members of Congress.
Youth will participate in the fast across the state in order to make sure that students’ voices are included in
the debate and that Congress and the President take action to pass just and humane immigration reform
this year.