It's the 20th anniversary today and I just can't turn on the TV. It really does feel like it just happened yesterday and it won't ever not feel like yesterday for people of a certain age who were watching it live on TV. Of course, I can't even imagine the horrors and grief that those who were directly affected by it feel and I won't pretend to.

Since this is the Dream Act forum however, I'd like to point out that we are an indirect casualty of what happened as well. I know if a non-dreamer reads this they would say "how dare you make this about yourself!" but the draconian anti-immigration laws and anti-immigrant sentiments following the attacks still have a direct impact on the dreamers and certainly all undocumented immigrants.

Before the attacks, life was not that hard. Sure we all wanted to get legal status and that part was hard but adjustment of status was much easier until 245i put a cut off date on it, and the 1996 law was a kick in the nuts, but for the most part, undocumented people could get a Driver's license, bank account, fly, etc. and not be in constant fear.

Most importantly, the whole attitude towards immigrants was different...well outside of ultra conservative circles at least. The Dream Act was introduced in April of 2001, and there was a lot of talk about immigration relief.

After the attacks, things changed overnight. Conservatives jumped on the pro-immigrant democrats blaming them, and law after law was passed, policy after policy was enacted to make life as hard as possible for undocumented without mercy.

Our lives would be very different right now too in an alternative universe.