Impact of U.S. Immigration Policy on Gen Y

August 22, 2012 by Tamara Bell

Roberto G. Gonzales is an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. Over the last decade, Professor Gonzales has been engaged in critical inquiry regarding what happens to undocumented immigrant children as they make the transitions to adolescence and young adulthood. His work has been published in the American Sociological Review and International Migration, and has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, and CNN. Professor Gonzales received his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California at Irvine.

In June, President Obama issued an executive action that allows thousands of illegal immigrants who came to the United States as children to remain in the country without fear of deportation. But what does this mean for U.S. immigration policy, including the DREAM Act, moving forward?

Roberto joins Keeping Up with Gen Y to explain how President Obama’s executive order will allow the estimated 800,000 undocumented Gen Y immigrants to attain higher education and contribute to our economy, just like their American-born peers. He also talks about how Gen Y of all races should lend their voices to our country’s ongoing immigration debate.

Filed Under: World Tagged With: 2012 election, DREAM Act, illegal immigration, President Obama, Roberto G. Gonzales, undocumented young immigrants, University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration, US immigration policy

About Tamara Bell

Tamara Bell is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Y Gen Out Loud, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that provides a platform for Generation Yto discuss national politics and public policy issues.

Tamara began her journalism career as a staff reporter for the Dallas Times Herald. A few years later, she moved to York, Pa., as a political reporter for the York Dispatch, covering local, state, and national government as well as writing investigative stories for the mid-sized daily newspaper.

A Texas girl at heart, Tamara returned to Dallas a year later to work as press relations director for the re-election campaign of U.S. Rep. John Bryant. The next year, she moved to Austin and the Texas Legislature, where she stayed for 15 years. While at the Legislature, Tamara worked for Democratic House members as Chief-of-Staff and Press Secretary, and as a Senior Policy Analyst for the Senate State Affairs Committee chaired by a Republicansenator.

In 1996, Tamara became co-owner of a political newsletter covering state issues and elections. As Editor-in-Chief, Tamara helped shape the weekly publication into a must-read for state officials, legislative aides, and lobbyists. More recently, Tamara wrote a regular column analyzing coverage by the Texas Capitol Press Corps for an online political publication. She also works as a lecturer in the Advertising Department at The University of Texasat Austin.

Tamara has also been a judge for the 2010 Bright Ideas Award given by the Texas Daily Newspaper Association, served as a panelist at the Society of Professional Journalists 2010 Region 8 Conference where the theme was How to Save Journalism, and has been a guest lecture for the Advertising Department’s Internship course, speaking about the jobs outlook for graduating seniors.

Tamara earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in Journalism from The University of Texas at Austin, and her B.A. in Journalism from Texas A&M University. She resides in Austin with her son, Jackson.

Tamara Bell is also the Host of Keeping Up with Gen Y on WomensRadio. Keeping Up with Gen Y offers discussions, interviews, and commentary about important issues of the day from the perspective of Generation Y (18-to 30-years-old). Aimed at all generations interested in learning about and inspiring young people, this show features professionals, experts, researchers, and members of Gen Y who share insights and experiences about the topics on the minds of today’s young adults.