Last Saturday four college students began a 3,000-mile trek by foot across the U.S. in support of the federal DREAM Act, a proposed immigration law that, if passed, would provide a path towards lawful permanent resident status for undocumented individuals who have graduated high school or obtained a GED, and are pursuing a college degree or military service. The students began their campaign with a kick-off rally at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. They plan to visit 285 cities and towns in 13 states to gain national publicity for the immigration bill.
The conclusion of the students' journey in Washington D.C. in October will coincide with the 2012 presidential election campaigns. The walkers and their sponsors chose this specific date in an effort to compel the presidential candidates to seriously consider immigration reform as one of their central platform points. Whereas President Barack Obama has endorsed the DREAM Act but was unable to oversee its passage in Congress, Mitt Romney, currently the most promising presidential nominee for the Republican party, has stated that he would veto the Act if it passed.
The starting point of the DREAM Act campaign trail in San Francisco is indicative of California's progressive stance in rolling out immigration reforms. In June 2011, Governor Jerry Brown signed the