Redefining American: Professor William Perez Hopes to Shed Light on What it Means to Grow Up Undocumented in the United States-Hispanic Magazine

May 6th, 2010

"Whereas the United States has sought to be a champion of human rights throughout the world, when it comes to undocumented youth living among us, we have forsaken this policy of humanity." Perez concludes.

April 13, 2010

"Pérez stresses that passage of the DREAM Act would grant undocumented students equal access to scholarships and other forms of financial aid. In defense of those brought here by their parents, he says, "It's time to do the right thing.'"

April 12, 2010

Department of Ethnic Studies Spring Colloquium Series, April 12, 2010, 3pm, CHASS Interdisciplinary Building North, Room 4043.

March 29, 2010

“Perez (Claremont Graduate Univ.) records case histories from interviews with undocumented students, who continue to live a precarious future in a country that does not welcome them...Perez concludes his introduction with rationales for an immigration policy that is in the national self-interest. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels.”

2/15/10
Article on the use of new media to inform readers about the book, "We ARE Americans."

 3-17-10

Press Release for Dream Team LA Rally @ Pershing Square on Thursday 3/18/10, 3:30-6:30pm.

January 2010

January 19th, 2010

January 16th, 2010

11-12-09

Book signing and panel discussion about immigration reform at Cal State LA on 11-12-09 from 10am-1pm. Panelists includes congresswoman Judi Chu.

11-5-09

We ARE Americans: Undocumented Students Pursuing the American Dream," receives the 2009 Mildred Garcia Award for Exemplary Scholarship from the Council on Ethnic Participation of the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE).

11/2009

Article published in the November 2009 edition of the CGU Flame Magazine entitled, "Can Undocumented Students Earn the Right to be Recognized as Americans?"

Undocumented students deserve shot at American Dream 

by William Perez, Ph.D.

The Urban Institute estimates that there are approximately 3.4 million children and young adults under the age of 24 living in the United States who are undocumented. The 1982 Supreme Court ruling Plyer v. Doe guarantees all of them education through 12th grade, and 65,000 graduate high school every year.

But after high school, they suddenly find themselves ineligible for any government support for higher education -- virtually guaranteeing that the public investment in their K-12 schooling is squandered.

I was stunned to find how little research has been done on these students and their situation to inform discussions about the merits of passing the DREAM Act so I decided to fill the gap...

I will be doing a book reading and signing at Vromans Bookstore in Pasadena on Wednesday September 9th from 7-9pm.

Click on the NPR logo to listen to the segment about the book, We ARE Americans aired August 22, 2009.