A number of students across the nation have gone hungry for more than 30 days in order to bring attention to the DREAM Act.
Even the real danger of harming their health hasn’t deterred them and now they have even been joined by civil rights leader Dolores Huerta, a labor leader and co-founder of the United Farm Workers.
“These young people embody what the American dream is. This is a nation of immigrants,” she said.
Brent Wilkes, executive director of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) has also joined the fast since December 2.
” For three weeks students in Texas have been on a hunger strike to press Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison to support the DREAM Act. The strike has now grown to 50 people from 4 different states. I have been deeply moved by the inspiration, courage, tenacity and sacrifice that these students have shown and I have decided to join their hunger strike until Congress passes the DREAM Act,” Wilkes said in a blog.
The University of Texas at San Antonio students are members of a group calling itself DREAM Act Now! They have staged protests, demonstrations and rallies to push for passage of the DREAM Act. A doctor is now monitoring the group on a daily basis and administering blood tests.
Central to their efforts is to persuade US Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn, both Republicans from Texas, to vote in support of the law.
“Some people just sit there and talk about it, but there are others who will stand up and take action and that is what people saw with us,” said My Le, a DREAM Act Now! organizer and UTSA freshman. “A lot of illegal immigrants felt oppressed and were too scared to say anything. But when they saw how much momentum we created and how many supporters came to stand with us, they felt empowered enough to join.”
Last week, they were also joined by state Rep. Mike Villareal (D) during a march in the streets of San Antonio.
“We are here and we are going to fight until the end,” said Le.
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