Support the Dream Act TODAY!
URGE YOUR SENATORS TO VOTE YES ON THE DREAM ACT THIS WEEK! THIS ACTION ALERT COURTESY OF HIAS
Every year 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high school and find themselves unable to attend colleges or work legally because of their immigration status, despite the fact that they grew up in the United States. Last week, Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) quietly re-introduced the DREAM Act as a new stand-alone bill, S. 2205. A vote on “cloture” is likely this Wednesday, passage of which is necessary to overcome a likely filibuster. This will mark the first time that the DREAM Act has ever come to a clean vote on the Senate floor.
The cloture motion will require 60 votes to pass. If it fails, the DREAM Act will be pulled from the floor. If it passes, there will be more votes on the DREAM Act as well as on possible amendments. The outcome of these votes will determine the fate of the DREAM Act for this Congress.
The provisions of S. 2205 are similar, though not identical, to S. 774, the version of the DREAM Act that was filed earlier this year. Like the earlier version, S. 2205 would provide a six-year path to permanent residence and eventual citizenship for individuals brought to the U.S. more than five years ago as undocumented children if they graduate from high school and continue on to college or military service.
OUR RESPONSE MUST BE UNPRECEDENTED! Word is already getting out about the vote on anti-immigrant websites, talk shows, and cable TV and the usual falsehoods are being spread. There is little doubt that the fearful and misinformed base will respond by calling their Senators to oppose the DREAM Act. So call TODAY!
I called both Chambliss and Isakson just now and the news is discouraging. I actually had a 10 minute discussion with Isakson’s office and won the debating points, but didn’t budge them on their position. Chambliss’ office would even discuss it, they are simply a NO vote — (my mind is made up, don’t bother me with the facts — discouraging).
Comment by Don George — October 24, 2007 @ 7:39 am
Thanks for trying, Don, I am sorry to hear about their response. Nonetheless, the calls and letters DO work, not only immediately but on the long run. Thanks for the efforts, and lets keep the fight up, guys!
Comment by Gay Immigrant — October 24, 2007 @ 9:48 am
Vote NO! to the Dream Act as it rewards illegal immigrants who have broken our laws. It will have the same effect as other amnesties given; meaning more illegals will come into this country expecting to jump ahead of legally applying immigrants.
The US citizens of this country should not pay taxes that will go to people who have not. This abuse of our country must stop.
You want to be American citizens get in line behind the legally applying immigrants and don’t expect us to foot your hospital bills and every other bill you seem to manage not to pay.
Comment by Jenny — October 24, 2007 @ 11:32 am
Jenny, I’m sorry you feel that way but the DREAM Act will allow undocumented individuals who were brought to the US through no fault of their own to have access to status by either pursuing higher education or serving in the military. It’s unfortunate you are simply parroting the talking points of the anti-immigrant right without really understanding what the bill does. After all who really loses when a population is better educated?
Comment by adamf — October 24, 2007 @ 11:44 am
ignore Jenny…once again people have no idea
just how BAD and BROKEN the “SYSTEM” is
which is why people skirt round it, that’s why no one want’s to deal with it, does the word “Katrina”
mean anything, meaning the sytem din’t work for them
(FEMA) etc, it’s like a Heart attack you have to experience it to know and understand (bad analogy I know)
Comment by derek — October 24, 2007 @ 3:27 pm
Jenny i think you are ignorant and maybe you should do more research about immigraton instead of making a statement you have no idea about.
It’s funny as each day i go to work i hear a whole lot of people talking about immigration and how we should deportt all of them and when you ask them if they know anyone who is illegal they dont . I htink it’s easy to say things without thinking about it. Sometimes it’ best to just shut up.
Comment by Matumbo — October 24, 2007 @ 5:56 pm
Yeah derek you are right. It is easier to hate and condemn something that does not directly effect your life. Jenny’s comment is similar to the people that say same sex binational couples have the option of moving to another country that does accept them. It is extremely hurtful and ill informed. If we do not have compassion for others caught in this broken US immigration system, how can we expect others to have compassion for us?
Comment by nola — October 24, 2007 @ 7:27 pm
The DREAM Act would be nice, except it will allow all of those children to get Green Card status, thereby allowing them to apply for Green Cards for the very parents that forced their children to come here, illegally. It’s not just a fancy cliche to say that this is a “back door amnesty” program. IT IS!!! This is a huge quagmire and I’m sick of it!
Comment by Sandy — October 24, 2007 @ 8:50 pm
well it is difficult to understand exactly what you and those who oppose seemingly every immigration issue that deals with people living undocumented mean by amnesty these days Sandy. The DREAM Act is not amnesty because it allows undocumented school aged children to apply for green cards. It offers them the opportunity to apply for green cards in exchange for their enrollment in a higher learning institution or for service in the military, hardly a free hand out which is what I assume you mean when you say amnesty.
Additionally, you state that the parents would be eligible for green cards, that’s just factually incorrect. Under US immigration law you cannot sponsor your parents as a green card holder. So it is not a back door amnesty program as you suggest. If you don’t agree with the DREAM Act that’s cool and as any reader of this blog knows we often have lively debates about the merits of this or that piece of legislation but before posting and debating you should get your facts straight.
Comment by adamf — October 25, 2007 @ 7:39 am
well said Adam!…….
Comment by derek — October 25, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
Amnesty or not what is the government doing about immigration, waiting for a time bomb to go off. Action is needed give legal rights to binationals that is not Amenesty that is a right, like any other couple
Comment by Matumbo — October 30, 2007 @ 7:17 pm
Well said Adam. I’m not one for words but Its sad when a country that was founded on freedom seems to be taking away the rights of the people. Everyone thinks that America is moving forward but its not. Just like it was when America was being moved into from the other countries. The Native American’s was forced to live on reservations instead of the land that they shared with the white man. The Statue of Liberty that stands in the harbor of New York…the tablet says Give me your tired your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
America needs to move forward and pass these bills that will allow same sex couples to sponser their partner so that the family can be a whole. I am an American whos partner is from the UK. I use to be proud to say that I am an American but not now…not with the way that things are in this country.
Comment by Loretta the Hurricane — November 3, 2007 @ 7:54 pm