Our History

Founded in 2005, the Student Immigrant Movement has since trained and mobilized student leaders across the state for Higher Education rights for Immigrant Students and overall Comprehensive Immigration Reform around the country. In the beginning, SIM campaigned for an In State tuition bill that let immigrants students in the process of getting permanent residency get in state tuition at public universities and colleges.

The Student Immigrant Movement was formed with in the campaign of “higher education access for immigrant students”. In 2005 SIM organized in collaboration with partners an action called “Why we Can’t Wait” 400 students, parents and supporters of immigrant communities gathered at the steps of grand staircase at the MA State house to demand “Equal access to higher education for immigrant students”.

On March 2006, Mario Rodas, a member of SIM gets detained by immigration. SIM with other allies quickly moves into organizing a campaign to save Mario from deportation. After many meetings, actions, press conferences, tons of news coverage, Mario is saved from deportation in the “We are Mario” Campaign.

As part of the broader immigrant rights movement, SIM joined millions of leaders nationally, statewide and locally in a series of rallies to push a comprehensive immigration reform forward. This included the large May 1st march of 2006.

SIM succeed in July, 2007, with a resolution passed by the Board of Higher Education that allowed immigrant students with Permanent Residency in progress to get in-state tuition. This was the first half of the battle. The second half was in-state tuition for rest of the immigrant students, the undocumented students.

In 2009, SIM began pushing for an Executive Order by the Governor for in-state Tuition. Also during this time, SIM began building local chapters in different part of the state, including Cape Cod and the North Shore.

Throughout this period, SIM transitioned from working under the umbrella of MIRA to becoming an independent organization. It was time for SIM to grow separately from the vision of MIRA and to further expand its student base. SIM has been independent ever since and continues to grow every day.

Focusing on the DREAM act and In-State Tuition campaigns, SIM has worked with dozens of organizations including MIRA and United We Dream to further spread the cause. In 2009, SIM members attended the FIRM summit on Immigration Reform in Washington DC to kick the national campaign for Comprehensive Immigration Reform. That same summer, SIM secured all10 congressmen as cosponsors of the DREAM act, a pivotal feat for the national campaign. Then, in September, SIM leaders traveled to Clinton, Tennessee and Little Rock, Arkansas, to meet with legendary members of the Civil Rights Movement in an effort to connect the two struggles. Little Rock 9 members Carlotta Walls-Lanier and Terrence Roberts were in support the DREAM act and campaign of SIM.

On February 13-14th, SIM held a statewide leadership and movement building training at UMass Boston, with sponsorship from United We Dream and Center for Community Change. The training included over 80 new members, and helped form new chapters around MA. There are chapters in Boston, Chelsea, Worcester, Lynn, Lawrence, Brockton, New Bedford, Cambrige, Cape Cod, Somerville and Lowell.

A great burst of energy followed the training, and SIM members organized a rally at the MA State House on Feb 25th to persuade Governor Patrick to pass the In-State Tuition bill. Over two hundred supporters attended, listening to student speakers and other special guests tell their story. There was minimal response from the governor, but more actions were soon planned.

In conjunction with the national “coming out”strategy, SIM has planned several actions around the state in which immigrant students reveal their green card status. The story of the immigrant has been hidden for way too long, they are too afraid to reveal their stories because of deportation fears. These are the stories that need to be heard because this is the reality of Immigrant America. We are not criminals that have jumped the fence, but real people who have real needs but are retained in their rights in this society. People are suffering, and something must be done about this, but we have to know what is wrong before we try to fix it, and this is why we need to come out and tell our stories.

There was an action at Harvard, a “coming out” rally in Lynn on March 18th, a public “coming out” on March 18th in Hyannis, and a rally at Lawrence High School with student speakers.

At the peak of “coming out” week, sponsored by the national campaign, SIM took 4 buses from MA to Washington DC for a large march on Sunday March 21st. The march will kicked the national momentum for Immigration reform and connected all the major multi-cultural organizations.

Met with Senator Scott Brown: In April 2010, SIM launched the “Brown is Beautiful” Campaign to encourage Senator Brown to sign onto the DREAM Act.  We made 70 calls to his office daily, organized at least 5 church visits per week to his office, and gathered over 2,000 letters of support from residents across the state. On May 25th, SIM organized a press conference in front of the state house.  Afterwards over 130 people marched on the freedom trail to Senator Brown’s office to deliver letters of support and to ask him to sign on to the DREAM act. It was covered by 22 different media outlets.

Education Not Deportation Campaign: In the beginning of June Eric Balderas, a Harvard Student and SIM member was coming back from visiting his family in Texas and was stopped by immigration officials. Erik was set to have a court date later in the summer and would be deported to Mexico. SIM leader Mario Rodas took the lead in running Erik’s campaign. Mario Rodas has been a leader since 2005 when SIM stopped his deportation and through personal experience, connection with national and local organizations he was able to get deferred action for 1 year for Erik Balderas.

Launched the MassHope 2010 vigil: On June 7th SIM launched a 24 hour vigil to protest anti- immigrant amendments pending in the MA state budget. We have amassed a coalition of 42 organizational supporters and numerous elected officials including the Governor.  SIM leaders have delivered 47 letters to key decision-makers.  Our vigil has been covered by many national and local media outlets including the New York Times. After 19 days and 18 nights of being in front of the State House the anti-immigrant amendments were taken out of the budget.

DREAM University: On July 14th United We Dream the national coalition of 22 organizations and groups like SIM in other states have proposed a call to action inspired from the vigils in Arizona and Massachusetts. UWD built a grassroots university (DREAM University) in front of the Capitol in DC. Our goal was to bring attention to the DREAM act and continue building momentum for the bill. In DC students participated in regular teach ins, lobby visits, mock graduation, and direct actions. DREAM U was been able to get media attention from the Washington Post, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Chinese, Danish, Portuguese, Brazilian, German, and Spanish media. As a result Senator Reid committed to pushing DREAM act for a vote. Now DREAM University will be held in other states with key Republican targets. Dream University was held in Massachusetts August 3rd.