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THE DAILY ILLINI 5he independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
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Obama’s immigration plan sparks discourse
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Pining after the perfect Christmas tree
ISS, RISE work to create campus
discussion
BY CHARLOTTE COLLINS STAFF WRITER
Ganchimeg Ganzorig was in high school when she applied to a job and found out she was “different.” “They told me I can work, but they just needed my social security number,” Ganzorig said. “I asked my mother and she said I didn’t have any documents.” At the age of eight, Ganzorig’s family left their native country of Mongolia for the U.S. “I felt normal, like everyone else, I grew up here. My life is here,” she said. As a student at the University of Illinois, however, she is not alone. The University of Illinois is known for attracting students from around the globe. According to a recent study released by the Open Doors Institute, the University of Illinois is the third-highest ranking institution for hosting the largest number of international students in the 2013 to 2014 academic year. However, not all international students are under the same stress as Ganzorig, a junior in LAS, as undocumented students do not qualify for any financial aid and many scholarships exclude those who are not U.S. citizens. Illinois state law allows the University to accept undocumented students and charge them in-state tuition, as long as they graduated from a high school in Illinois after having attended it for three or more years. Going to college in America put a significant fi nancial burden on Ganzorig’s family. “I’ve been working multiple jobs since high school and through my parents, whatever they scrape through and whatever jobs
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Connor Sible, sophomore in ACES, cuts Christmas trees at Illini Forest Plantation on Saturday. The Illini Foresters sold trees throughout the weekend in their annual fundraiser. Proceeds will be used to buy new equipment for the plantation as well as to offset the cost of hiking activities for the group.
Rally supports higher pay for workers Movement for increased pay enters 3rd year BY CAMILLE MURRAY STAFF WRITER
A small crowd gathered on the corner of Neil Street and Kirby Avenue on Friday, braving the rain and cold temperatures to rally in support of higher pay for fast-food workers. During the rally, which took place at 5 p.m. near a local McDonald’s restaurant, protestors held up signs that displayed phrases such as “Fight for $15 wages” and “We’re not lovin’ it.” The crowd also chanted sayings, including “overworked and underpaid, we demand a living wage.” The rally was sponsored by the local chapter of Jobs With Justice, a coalition organized to help with issues concerning workers’ rights. It was one of many
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out our editorial for our opinion on Obama’s new visa proposal. 3DJH $
Taking action: Outlining Obama’s executive action with four main principles
» » » » » • Strengthening border security by enhancing technology at the border • Streamlining legal immigration by providing visas to more students and trying to reunite more families • Providing and encouraging legal ways for undocumented immigrants to earn citizenship: including background checks and paying a penalty fee and taxes • Holding companies accountable for hiring undocumented workers
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ridiculous.” The widespread movement to raise wages for fastfood workers is entering its third year. Last year, a similar rally titled “Fight for 15” was held in Champaign. “We want to encourage the workers to know that if you are asking for higher wages, you have the support of your community,” said Stuart Levy, who was also present at the rally. “And to the fast-food companies, that customers are aware that this is an issue.” The matter of increasing the minimum wage for all workers is one that has lately gained national attention. In the 2014 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama called on Congress to increase the national minimum wage. The Council of Economic Advisers reported that raising the minimum wage would benefit more than 28 million workers. In addition, the Chicago City Council recently approved Mayor Rahm
Emanuel’s five-year plan to raise the city’s minimum wage from the current $8.25 to $13 dollars by 2019. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, polls conducted since February of 2013 show that a majority of Americans support some sort of increase in minimum wage. An increase in minimum wage would not necessarily have a negative impact on the economy, the Department of Labor reported, as federal minimum wage has increased 22 times since 1938 while real GDP per capita has continued to increase. Baldwin said he believes the fight to increase wages for fast-food workers is gaining momentum, and the movement will only continue from here. He said his organization will continue to support the cause as long as workers need it
Camille can be reached at cmurra24 @dailyillini.com.
“We want to encourage the workers to know that if you are asking for higher wages, you have the support of your community. And to the fastfood companies, that customers are aware that this is an issue.” STUART LEVY
RALLY PARTICIPANT
Latina immigrants prone to higher stress levels » UI » study shows impact Recent of acculturative stress on Latinas BY ESTEFANIA FLOREZ STAFF WRITER
For Nicole Flores the hardest part about immigrating to America was learning a new language. Flores, sophomore in FAA, immigrated from Bolivia when she was 16 years old and has experienced more stress than a typical teenage girl. “When you come from another country, it is really hard to get accustomed to the social differences,” Flores said. “Being an immigrant, you’re forced to work and go to school at the same time, if your parents don’t make enough money, so there is a financial disadvantage.”
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protest demonstrations held in almost 200 cities this past week to increase minimum wage. The rally was part of a movement demanding that fast-food workers be paid $15 wages and be granted the right to form a union without interference from employers, said Ricky Baldwin, co-president of the Central Illinois chapter of Jobs with Justice. “People think of it as a job that people just get in high school, and that they don’t have many responsibilities — just live at home, they don’t have kids — but it’s not like that anymore,” Baldwin said. Median pay for fast-food workers is currently $8.59, which yields an annual income level significantly below the federal poverty line. “Too many people in this country are working too hard for too little,” said Sidney Germaine, a participant in Friday’s rally. “I think it’s
A recent University study found that Latina immigrants report higher levels of stress in their daily lives. The study, conducted by assistant professor Venera Bekteshi, focuses on the impact of acculturative stress and uses data from the California Health Interview Survey and the National Latino and Asian American Study. Bekteshi chose her research topic because she believes that studies on Latina are lacking. “Understanding the context of acculturative stress and psychological distress for Latina immigrants is important, not only because of their numbers in the U.S.,
but also because compared to Latino men and non Latino counterparts in the U.S., Latina women tend to report higher rates of psychological distress,” Bekteshi said. Flores believes being a Latina immigrant has been stressful because she often feels looked down upon. “People think you are under educated because of the language barrier, and so people might not expect you to do well in school, and they underestimate your skills and knowledge,” Flores said. Bekteshi explained there are many factors that contribute to Latina distress, which should be addressed continuously. “When Latina women face many negative factors in their environment, other factors influence their acculturative stress,” Bekteshi
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said. “These negative factors included discrimination (daily and racial), financial constraints, family conflict and
“When you come from another country, it is really hard to get accustomed to the social differences.” VENERA BEKTESHI
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
difficulties in visiting family abroad.” She also believes her study can have a great impact on students aspiring practice-
related careers, as well as the Latino culture. “As our students of Latino background increase, this is especially important in effective teaching and learning,” Bekteshi said. Bekteshi said the movement between the United States and respective Latino countries should be better facilitated, as research showed that stress levels increased for women who were not able to visit family at home due to financial difficulties. “Family is a very important source of support for this group of women and I hope that immigration policy emphasizes its social service programs,” Bekteshi said.
Estefania can be reached at eflore30 @dailyillini.com.
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