Complicated and serious question

[vinzzy]

<p>I have a question regarding the DREAM Act (some links are provided below). I am an Indian American (Asian) who moved to the US from Canada with Canadian citizenship. My family applied for a green card and were waiting. However, two years ago, a tragedy struck one of our close relatives in Canada and my family rushed to Canada without thinking to get an Advance Parol (permit to leave country-takes about 3 months to get!). When they made their trip back to the US, they got held at the border. They wouldn't let them in at first, but at the time I was the still in the US attending Michigan Debate Camp. Since I was still in the US, they let my family back in. However, we had to start the whole green card process over again. I am a senior and applying to colleges. The green card will take another three years to get. Without it, I wouldn't get in-state tuition or be eligible for any financial aid to expensive colleges. Say the DREAM Act was passed today and was in session the next day. Would I be entitled to the in-state tuition and financial aid that the DREAM Act provides for the children of undocument workers, even though I'm not an illegal immigrant and currently in the legalization process? Sorry for the long post, I am just so frustrated.</p>

<p>Links on Dream Act:
<a href="http://www.nilc.org/immlawpolicy/DREAM/Dream001.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.nilc.org/immlawpolicy/DREAM/Dream001.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p><a href="http://www.aflcio.org/aboutaflcio/ecouncil/ec02262003a.cfm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.aflcio.org/aboutaflcio/ecouncil/ec02262003a.cfm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p><a href="http://www.nilc.org/immlawpolicy/DREAM/DREAM_Basic_Info.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.nilc.org/immlawpolicy/DREAM/DREAM_Basic_Info.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p><a href="http://www.tolstoy.com/lonewacko/blog/archives/000486.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.tolstoy.com/lonewacko/blog/archives/000486.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Any advice and answers would be greatly be appreciated.</p>

[achat]

<p>vinzzy, you should ask your lawyer who deals with the legalization process if he knows. I doubt if people here will know this unless they have anecdotal experience or are immigration lawyers; but I don't know any regular poster here who is an immigration lawyer. Even if you are not going through a lawyer with your legalization, I know there are immigration attorneys who will take an initial consulation call for free.</p>

[ilcapo235]

<p>Vinzzy - Call your Congressman, he or she will have a staffer who deals directly with immigration issues and can explain/expedite your problem.</p>

[achat]

<p>ilcapo, here's the thing: he is not even legal (well he might be) but certainly not someone who votes in his district. I doubt if the congressman's office will care. If I call my congressman, the first question they ask is if I am a registered voter and which district I belong to.</p>

[ilcapo235]

<p>The congressman I work for deals with illegal immigrants allll the time - maybe that is because we have a large number of illegal Hispanic immigrants, but I'm not sure exactly. I thought it was protocol...I can assure you though that it is not actually illegal for the Congressman to help an immigrant like vinzzy.</p>

[achat]

<p>ok, then. You do work as a congressional staffer and I don't. But it still takes a while to cut through the fog of indifference - at least from my experience of NJ congressmen.</p>

<p>Anyway, vinzzy, that is an alternate route. Call or have someone call your congressman from your district with this question.</p>

[vinzzy]

<p>Yes, I cleared it up. Since I'm still considered a legal resident of Ohio, I am eligible for in-state tuition. However, I am not eligibile for any financial aid such as through FAFSA. I would need permanent legal status in order to do so. Thanks for your replies.</p>

[achat]

<p>Good. Good luck with everything.</p>