Fed up with the bleak prospects for undocumented immigrant youth – many of whom have lived in America since elementary school – a group of activists are taking extreme measures in support of education immigration legislation: They are giving up eating for 12 days.

“There is a belief at the grassroots level that Congress is not understanding how great an issue this is for the Latino community,” an education policy analyst at the National Council of La Raza, Melissa Lazarin, said. “October of 2003 was the last movement, which is very, very frustrating and the whole reason why people are going to such desperate measures as to starve themselves.”

The hunger strike kicked off yesterday to promote proposed federal legislation to expand higher education and a path to citizenship for undocumented youth.

The Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, or the DREAM Act, would provide undocumented immigrant students with access to financial assistance and a path to legalize their status. It has been stalled in Congress since the bipartisan legislation passed the Judiciary Committee on a 16-3 vote nearly a year ago. With less than a month left in this session, activists are working to ensure it is not swept under the table.

“I have a lot of friends that graduated with me a few months ago and they weren’t able to go to college because they can’t pay the high tuition rates at public and private college. They want to go to college, they want to get an education, they want to contribute to their communities. The DREAM Act is like our door to reach those goals; we can get some financial aid, we can legalize our status,” said Angela Perez, 18, an immigrant from Colombia who just started her freshman year at La-Guardia College.

About 20 students and activists nationwide plan to fast until September 25. Hundreds of other protesters will participate in rolling and one-day fasts to show solidarity.

In New York, five individuals began five-day fasts today. Dozens more will join in fasts this week that will target different immigration reform issues. Monday there will be a united breakfast ceremony with local religious, community, and political leaders, the coordinator for the New York Immigration Coalition, Minerva Moya, said.

Throughout the country, the fast will continue until September 25 as part of a “Week of Action” to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride, a rolling demonstration based on the civil rights movement that concluded last year with a large rally in Flushing, Queens.

Last year’s action, an unprecedented collaboration between labor and immigrants right’s groups, advocated for immigrant’s rights but not specific legislation.

A year later, from Omaha to San Jose, the DREAM Act rallies, interfaith services, and migrant marches will attempt to transform the stalled momentum into action.

Ms. Perez, the student whose immigration status is in process, was at the Queens rally last year advocating for the DREAM Act and will fast tomorrow as part of a coalition of New York students.

“We have done so much for it and we haven’t gotten any response,” she said. “We see this event as the last that we can do.”