Marcelo M. Suárez-Orozco, AQ author and Courtney Sale Ross University Professor of Globalization and Education at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, & Human Development, speaks with Americas Quarterly about the “legal, policy, economic, and ethical considerations” that result from an estimated 5.5 million children and adolescents growing up in the United States with at least one undocumented parent.
Suárez-Orozco criticizes the United States’ “anachronistic” immigration architecture—including waiting periods in excess of 15 years—for those seeking to come to the United States. Unauthorized migration is a result of such long delays. Suárez-Orozco sees the DREAM Act or a close variant of it as a “low-hanging fruit” to help ease the transition for resident, non-citizen children whose values are American but who lack appropriate authorization. But in an election year, he does not see either political party as having the muscle to pass such legislation in the near future.
Interview by Richard André.
Dr. Suárez-Orozco’s AQ article, “The Dream Deferred,” will appear in the Spring 2012 issue to be released on April 26. Access the table of contents.
