Students rally in South Bend for Dream Act protections

“There’s no inherent divide between the undocumented community and the average American working class because we all go through the same struggles,” said Libertad Heredia, a Notre Dame student Organizer and DACA Recipient.

Dozens of students flooded the front steps at Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly’s office Friday afternoon to deliver a message.

"We all care about our children, our siblings! There’s mothers here of children, fathers, we’re all students,” said Heredia.

Along with their message, a 500 signature petition with hopes of getting a clean Dream Act bill passed and to ask for protections of undocumented dreamers, dreamers like Libertad Heredia.

“My parents decided to bring us all when we were very young because my brother was born with disabilities that could not be treated in Mexico and my brother’s promise was basically of a short life or a very sad and unfulfilled life and so in coming here we have been able to provide him with human dignity and with education and with proper medical care,” said Heredia.

Among those 500 signatures were also the names of each university and college president. Organizers say it’s time lawmakers start signing off on paperwork too.

“You’d be surprised who’s kind of quiet about their status and if you speak to them, you might gain a new insight on the issue, a new viewpoint. We’re all just people and we want to talk to people. Especially now, it’s needed,” said Heredia.

When president Donald Trump ended the DACA executive order, he gave congress 6 months to find a solution. That deadline ends Monday but since the Supreme Court is considering a case on the topic nothing will happen to the nearly 700 thousand DACA recipients.