IMMIGRATION REFORM--Act Now to Support the DREAM Act!
Regular readers of these electronic page know that this blog is a strong supporter of justice for immigrants, including those of irregular status. With rising popular hysteria against “illegals” and political ambivalence by leaders of both parties, there has been little good news for immigrants coming out of Washington. Even the so called immigration reform measure supported by Senate Democrats and the Resident last year which went on to defeat in the House, was not an un-mixed blessing. In fact, it was so riddled with problems and pitfalls that I believe that its loss was better for most immigrants than the “benign neglect” of continuing the present system. In fact almost any imaginable broad immigration bill that could pass this Congress would be a punitive disaster.
But Senator Richard Durbin, the great and courageous senator from Illinois, is leading the fight for an important, if limited, reform-the DREAM ACT. This would guarantee that children brought to this country at an early age who have stayed in school through high school, do not have criminal records, and who go to college or serve in the military would have a clear path to citizenship. This is only just as these children are Americans in everything but technical legal status.
I received the following appeal from the NATIONAL IMMIGRATION LAW CENTER from Silvia Realzola of the Carpentersville Community Alliance and from Carlos Acosta of the Latino Coalition. I am sharing it here in hope that you will take a moment to lend your support.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL!
SENATE VOTE ON DREAM ACT
AS EARLY AS WEDNESDAY!
***IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED***
YOU AND YOUR NETWORKS NEED TO FLOOD SENATE OFFICES WITH PHONE CALLS, FAXES AND EMAILS TOMORROW!!!!!
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2007
TELL SENATORS TO VOTE FOR S. 2205 THE DREAM ACT!!!
CALL THEM AGAIN THE NEXT DAY!!!!!
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2007
TELL SENATORS TO VOTE FOR S. 2205 THE DREAM ACT!!!
The DREAM Act will likely come up for a vote on the Senate floor this Wednesday.
IT IS IMPERATIVE FOR ALL DREAM ACT SUPPORTERS TO CALL YOUR SENATORS, send an e-mail message and fax them, do it all over again on Wednesday morning first thing.
SHUTDOWN THE SENATE SWITCHBOARD WITH YOUR CALLS!
CALL 202-224-3121
DON'T LET THE ANTI-DREAM CALLERS BEAT US THIS TIME!
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. Most likely this Wednesday there will be a "cloture" vote on whether the DREAM Act can be debated and ultimately voted on. This will mark the first time that the DREAM Act has ever come to a clean vote on the Senate floor.
The provisions of S. 2205 are similar, though not identical, to S. 774, the version of the DREAM Act that was filed by the Senators Durbin, Hagel, and Lugar earlier this year. Like the earlier version, S. 2205 would provide a 6-year path to permanent residence and eventual citizenship for individuals brought to the U.S. more than 5 years ago as undocumented children if they graduate from high school and continue on to college or military service.
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 FIRST STEP IS PASSAGE OF THE "CLOTURE" MOTION, MOST LIKELY ON WEDNESDAY. Word is already getting out about the vote on anti-immigrant websites, talk shows, and cable TV who are spreading their usual falsehoods, and there is little doubt that their angry and fearful base will respond.
OUR RESPONSE MUST BE UNPRECEDENTED!
If you care at all about the future of DREAM Act students who have grown up here, then you must make your calls today and tomorrow, then forward this message, and then get on the phone to make sure that everyone you know does likewise. There will not be another chance.
CALL BOTH OF YOUR SENATORS AND TELL THEM:
"PLEASE VOTE FOR THE DREAM ACT
SO THAT IMMIGRANT STUDENTS BROUGHT HERE AS CHILDREN
CAN REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL"
Your Senators' phone numbers are online here
OR
CALL THE SENATE SWITCHBOARD 202-224-3121
To send an e-mail message to your Senators please go here
The DREAM Act in Brief:
The DREAM Act is narrowly tailored
It would apply only to individuals brought to the U.S. at least 5 years ago as children, who have grown up here (but are still under 30 years old), and who have remained in school and out of trouble. They could get a green card 6 years after graduating from high school if during that time they continue on to college or serve in the military.
The DREAM Act is not a "mini-amnesty"
At its core, amnesty is forgiveness for wrongdoing. That does not apply to DREAM Act students who were all brought here years ago as children. The DREAM Act rewards them for staying in school or serving our country.
The DREAM Act would benefit taxpayers
The DREAM Act would provide hope to immigrant students and lead many more of them to remain in school. As an example of the fiscal benefits of this, a RAND study showed that a 30-year-old Mexican immigrant woman who graduates from college will pay $5,300 more in taxes and cost $3,900 less in government expenses each year than if she had dropped out of high school. This amounts to an annual fiscal benefit of over $9,000 per person every year, money that can be used to pay for the education of other children. State and local taxpayers have already invested in the education of these children in elementary and secondary school and deserve to get a return on their investment
The DREAM Act up now differs from earlier versions
The most important differences from the earlier version are that S. 2205 would not apply to individuals who, on the date of enactment, are over 30 years old, and it would not delete a provision of federal law that places conditions on states that provide in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants.
You can find more information about the DREAM Act here