December 3, 2010 | 1:13 PM | By

Georgetown Pres: DREAM Act will make us stronger

FILED UNDER: Around the City, Hoyas, Immigrants

Center for American Progress

Georgetown University President Dr. Jack DeGioia

Now reading: Georgetown University President Jack DeGioia’s thoughts on the DREAM Act:

As a university in the heart of the nation’s capital, working to understand the impacts of globalization and the responsibilities we have in a new global context, it is our job, as educators, to support all of our students, including those who were born abroad, and to encourage passage of this legislation…

At Georgetown, students who meet the DREAM Act criteria are campus leaders and role models for their generation. They are pursuing challenging majors, are actively engaged in campus organization, and regularly participate in community service.

As these students work toward completing their degrees, their drive to give back to this country — using the knowledge gained through an American education — is unparalleled. They have done their part to make America, and our increasingly interconnected world, a better place. We must do ours to support a future for them that is free of fear, constraints and limitations on their success.

Passing the DREAM Act is an essential step toward that end. It will not only help these future leaders, it will enrich our campuses and make our country stronger.

About the author

DCentric was created to examine the ways race and class interact in Washington, D.C., a city with a vibrant mix of cultures and neighborhoods. Your guides to the changing district are reporters Anna John and Elahe Izadi. View all posts by Anna →

  • John_c12

    Why not–let’s promote breaking laws, taking shortcuts. Yes, the parents are the ones who broke the laws, so perhaps we should continue promoting chaos and law-breaking.

    Many U.S. citizens cannot find work. Our parents came here from ELLIS Island and abided by the rules, learned English, DIDN’T expect everyone here to Learn their language. In certain areas, unless you know Spanish, you’re at a major disadvantage. Sorry but this is……unfair and unacceptable. Life is painful for many of us, but the dream act is not sending the right message. I wish I could be living independently, being that I’m a college grad, and have overcome A GREAT DEAL, but because I don’t know Spanish, I cannot find decent work in my career area.

    In the last 10 years, every one and there mother came over the border from Mexico, and because our government is callous and careless many of us need to move out of the country for work. I don’t want to go back to working the same jobs I did before obtaining 5 years of college and years of experience…Time to look out for ‘WE THE PEOPLE.’

  • Andetw

    I don’t really have a problem with the Dream Act. But I think before the Dream Act should pass, DC citizens should get the right to representation. It seems weird that this would pass and would in a few years, give them more rights than DC residents have.