American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey
Georgia DREAMER and prospective PhD student, Needa Veerani, writes for the ACLU blog about her experience with the ban on access to higher education
June 19, 2013
Georgia DREAMER and prospective PhD student, Needa Veerani, writes for the ACLU blog about her experience with the ban on access to higher education
For Many DACA Students, Access to Higher Education Remains A Challenge
By Needa Virani, Activist
A Georgia student's story highlights the need for immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for the 11 million people who have become part of the American fabric, and aspire to become citizens, but currently have no way to attain legal status.
I came to the U.S. from India at the age of 7. Living in the U.S. has provided me with a life that I would have never been able to have back in India. The U.S. has always been and will always be my home. I have received a great high school education, which helped me graduate from Georgia Tech, a college that has the second-best program in my chosen field, biomedical engineering.
In college, I struggled because of my immigration status. Not only was I ineligible for financial aid, but I also had to pay out-of-state tuition, even though I've lived in Georgia for over 12 years. As is common with DREAMers, my life plans have been subject to politicians' whims; luckily, I got into Georgia Tech exactly one year before the Georgia Board of Regents enacted a policy that banned undocumented students from Georgia's top five colleges and universities.
I recently graduated from Georgia Tech (May 2013) with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering. Until my senior year, I was unable to take full advantage of the college experience – programs such as internships, co-ops, study abroad, and research abroad programs were off limits for me because of my immigration status.
Still, in spite of these hurdles, I found my calling in research. I started working as an undergraduate researcher at the beginning of my sophomore year and continued until graduation. I have worked in multiple laboratories conducting cutting-edge research, such as developing novel, atherosclerosis imaging techniques and developing a biodegradable pediatric stent.
After graduation, I planned on going to graduate school so that I could further explore my love of research and improve my job prospects. I was especially hopeful that I could do so after I was granted a work permit and permission to live in the country under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. And I was even offered a fully-funded research position in the Bioengineering Ph.D program at Georgia Tech. But unfortunately, I soon learned that the Regents do not consider DACA students to be in the country lawfully. And so I had to give up my position.
Think about that. The U.S. government, through its DACA program, has granted me permission to live in the country and work authorization, but a public university in Georgia won't recognize it. Georgia Tech's bioengineering program is the second best Ph.D program in the country, and I got in. DACA was created to provide students with the opportunity to pursue an education and contribute to the U.S. economy. The Regents' ban undermines these important goals, making the promises of DACA a mirage.
I know that I have real contributions to make to my field. I know that I will help develop the new, path-breaking technologies that will save countless lives. With DACA, the U.S. government has recognized my value to my country. Georgia needs to get with the program.
This post is part of a series on the first anniversary of the Obama Administration announcing DACA.
Learn more about immigrants' children and other civil liberties issues: Sign up for breaking news alerts, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.
Yes, There's Still Racial Segregation in 2013
April 07, 2013
It's insane, but friends at Wilcox County High School in Georgia are being divided by race. Parents and students are sponsoring separate proms for white and black students and the school is washing their hands of the whole thing.
A diverse group of friends—who want to attend one of the best nights of their young lives together—are fighting back. They're trying to organize an integrated prom where everyone's welcome, but they could use some support from the school.
The ACLU of Georgia Sends Letter to the Board of Regents Asking that They Lift the Ban on Admission for DACA Recipients
March 06, 2013
The ACLU Foundation of Georgia has sent a letter to the Board of Regents asking that they end the application of Policy 4.1.6. (ban on attendance of selective colleges and universities in the University System of Georgia) to young immigrants granted deferred action under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The letter also asks that the Regents issue new guidance recognizing that DACA recipients are “lawfully present” under federal immigration law and thus eligible to seek admission to Georgia’s competitive postsecondary institutions. Portions of the letter were read today by student organizers at the rally against the ban in Athens.
The letter and exhibits can be viewed here:
The ACLU of Georgia's Annual Meeting
September 24, 2012
Save the Date!
Saturday, November 10, 2012
The ACLU of Georgia's Annual Meeting
State Bar of Georgia Headquarters
Conference Center
104 Marietta Street, NW, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30303
9AM-1PM
Join us to meet newly elected members of the Board of Directors
and updates on our current civil liberties issues including:
- Immigrants' Rights
- Student & Youth Rights
- Social Media, Privacy & Technology
Privacy of Students Targeted for Military Recruitment
September 11, 2012
With the start of the school year, the ACLU Foundation of Georgia has sent a letter to Georgia’s State School Superintendent, Dr. Barge, asking for protection of privacy rights of Georgia’s high school students who take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (“ASVAB”) test. The ASVAB test is the military's entrance exam, given to recruits to determine their aptitude for military occupations. Even without a student’s or parent’s consent, the ASVAB test may be used to send highly sensitive information about a student to the military for purposes of recruitment. After the administration of the ASVAB test, military representatives may directly communicate with youth to suggest military career paths, based on the individualized profiles ascertained from their test data.
According to records obtained by the National Coalition to Protect Student Privacy, Georgia schools have one of the worst records nationally in protecting the privacy of students taking the ASVAB test. In its letter, the ACLU of Georgia asks that a state-wide policy that requires schools to protect such information be adopted in Georgia
