“Sometimes we see numbers and we forget the faces.”
These are the words of 23-year-old Florida student Felipe Matos, referring to the 10.8 million immigrants living the United States undocumented, as estimated by the Department of Homeland Security.
Felipe is one of a group of four college students trekking 1,500 miles from Miami to Washington, DC to promote immigration reform through the DREAM Act.
But they are not driving. They are walking.
They call their journey “Trail of Dreams.”
This past week they toured the Upstate and I had the privilege of spending some time with them walking on the trail, at their place of shelter, and again when they spoke at my university. (photos of their journey)
For me, it was “Love at first read.” I heard about their movement about two months ago when I accidentally stumbled across their blog and have been virtually following them ever since via Facebook, Flickr, and Twitter.
The “Dreamers” have gained national attention from media outlets such as:
Along their journey they have encountered many who oppose the reform they are trying to bring about. (In Georgia, they were greeted by the KKK and Butch Conway, the Gwinnett county sheriff who is a major supporter of Proposition 287(g)!)
Immigration is a controversial subject and a comprehensive issue.
While I do not have everything figured out yet, I do know this: No human being is illegal.
Carlos put it well when he said, “We deserve to live in hope. Everyone deserves the chance to achieve their dreams.”
This is what they plan to tell President Obama when they arrive in DC on May 1st.
And I plan to be there to hear it.