FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 24, 2015

For more information, contact: James Hong 718.460.5600 james.hong@minkwon.org

NEW YORK’S DREAM ACT MAY BE EXCLUDED FROM STATE BUDGET

Flushing, NY – Earlier this year, the MinKwon Center welcomed the inclusion of the New York State Dream Act in the Governor’s preliminary budget.  Since then, the Dream Act has passed in the Assembly, while the senate’s Republican leadership expressed its strong opposition to the bill. Yesterday, various sources reported that the final version of the state budget would no longer include the Dream Act.

"We have been waiting on the Governor to make good on his promises for four years, and unfortunately they have yet to be fulfilled," stated Grace Shim, Executive Director of the MinKwon Center for Community Action. “We are disappointed to hear that our state’s leaders are yet again not supporting the thousands of New York’s high school graduates who want to pursue higher education.  We urge Governor Cuomo and all of our state’s legislators to show a real commitment to fund and pass the Dream Act, which would help undocumented students access higher education and give back to their communities.”

James Jeong, one of MinKwon Center’s Dreamer youth and a junior at City College of New York, said, “I am disappointed in Governor Cuomo’s lack of leadership – that he is unable to recognize the potential in the undocumented student community. Passing the Dream Act would enable students like myself to not only better ourselves, but also to better the communities that we live in. We are tired of having our lives toyed with and we will not stop fighting until we see real leadership.”

The state’s budget is expected to be announced on April 1st.

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The MinKwon Center for Community Action was established in 1984 to meet the needs and concerns of the Korean American community through immigrant rights and political empowerment. The MinKwon Center has emerged as a leading organization in building a sustained community for marginalized individuals, including recent immigrants, minorities, low-income residents, limited English proficient persons, elderly and youth.