When a student runs for student body president at a university, he or she is not asked whether they are gay or straight, an atheist or a devout Catholic or what kind of burger toppings they prefer. But at Texas A&M, they are apparently asked about their immigration status.
At least that's what happened at the last student body president debate. Jose Luis Zelaya, a 24-year-old undocumented immigrant, was asked the question he dreaded most from one of his fellow students: How would his legal status play a role if he was elected president?
He has been openly undocumented since the start of the campaign but still felt blind-sided after the debate.
Read more ¿Qué más? Dream Act Student Resources Guide is a must read.
After it happened, he told the Houston Chronicle that he believes the question is irrelevant:
I'm not running because I'm undocumented. I'm running because I'm an Aggie. It's just like, what if I was gay? Would they have asked me if being gay was going to play a role? If I was atheist, would they ask me those things? What does it take to be seen as a regular Aggie, not as an undocumented Aggie?
After the question, Jose Luis was defended by one of the students running against him, Brody Smith, who replied: "He has an Aggie ring on his finger and we all bleed maroon."
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The story of this student running despite his immigration status and being supported by at least some of his fellow students is inspirational. Although Texas is a conservative state and Texas A&M is one of the nation's most conservative campuses, Jose Luis is bringing one of the key ideas of the Dream Act to life: that not being born in the U.S. has nothing to do with whether or not you're an American–or, in this case, a Texas A&M Aggie.
Do you think it's a good idea for an openly undocumented student to run for student body president at a conservative university?
Image via KHOU.com
