With the passing of the second half of California’s “Dream Act,” which allows illegal immigrants to receive financial aid for college, one would think that America is gearing towards a change for the better. One would think America is finally becoming the land of equal opportunity so that everyone can realize the “American dream,” including illegal immigrants.

But that notion is just that, a dream.

Recently, Alabama has becoming strict on their onslaught against immigration. Business owners are now required to perform immigration status checks on their workers. Failure to do so will result in their business licenses getting revoked.

In addition, Alabama law enforcement will now be able to stop, detain, and arrest those suspected of being or resembles an illegal immigrant. That means if you’re Hispanic, or even look like one, they can arrest you and hold you for interrogation.  Furthermore, those held in contempt will serve jail time until their immigration status can be verified. Those found in violation will be jailed. Or worse, they can be deported.

This just sounds like another form of terrorism, the very concept we’ve been fighting to eradicate. This is highly hypocritical of our government. Not only that, with being able to stop anyone under “reasonable suspicion,” this brings into question of racial profiling.

Immigrant parents now live in terror day by day. Every time they leave their homes, they risk being stopped and detained by law enforcement and being sent back to Mexico. They have to endure that risk in order to provide for their children.

These immigrants flee to America to have a better life, to escape the harsh suppression of Mexico, much like the founding fathers of America escaping religious oppression from Great Britain. These immigrants come to America for a better education and a better upbringing for their children, so they can escape the vicious cycle of drugs, violence, and death that still notoriously plagues Mexico.

Not only does this bill instill fear among illegal immigrants, but also it brings trepidation to their children, some of which, being born here, are U.S citizens. If the parents are caught and deported, then their children would be left here alone without any family or relatives to care for them. In fear of this, many immigrant parents have sent pleas to their friends or coworkers to care for their children if they should happened to be deported.

This does not paint the image of the “land of the free” that America erroneously claims to be. Freedom and equality should be a given right for all, not just limited to U.S citizens. Illegal immigrants, although not citizens, are still human and are entitled to their inalienable human rights. To deny them the ability to provide for their family or the ability for their children to receive a proper education just is simply un-American.

Alabama has taken a huge step back in social progress. But maybe if we all take a stand and voice our concerns for equality, our message can be heard over the loud roar of suppression.