Fwd: An unfinished DREAM
Monica Thammarath
From: NILC News <re...@nilc.org>Date: December 18, 2010 12:04:22 PM ESTTo: <mon...@searac.org>Subject: An unfinished DREAMReply-To: <re...@nilc.org>
NEWS: For Immediate Release
December 18, 2010
CONTACT: Adela de la Torre, 213-400-7822
or dela...@nilc.org.
AN UNFINISHED DREAM
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate failed to pass the DREAM Act, bipartisan legislation that, had it been passed, would have provided undocumented young women and men who were brought to the U.S. as young children with a pathway to U.S. citizenship if they attend college or perform military service. Below is a statement from Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center:
“Today, a few Senate Republicans and Democrats effectively denied thousands of children the American Dream. These undocumented young people have grown up here. They have worked hard and excelled in school. They want only to serve their adopted country.
“This legislation failed not because of policy, but because of politics. Republicans and moderate Democrats voiced many concerns, which were accommodated at every step of the way and included in the most recent version of the legislation. Even with these numerous cuts in size and scope of the legislation, these representatives still voted against the DREAM Act.
“Failure to pass the DREAM Act will have consequences beyond the people directly affected by the legislation. By denying DREAMers the opportunity to give their best to our country, we have deprived Americans of the many benefits these young people would bring to our communities. Furthermore, those who voted against the DREAM Act have voted against their own futures: with the nation’s two largest Spanish language networks covering this vote live, Latino voters will remember who voted against their families and communities.
“We, like the DREAMers who led this movement, will not give up. These undocumented young people have inspired the country by courageously fighting not only for their rights, but for the betterment of all our communities. The immigrant rights movement and our country is stronger because of their leadership.
“Although the DREAM Act has failed in this session, DREAMers’ hopes and strength remains. We strongly urge the Obama Administration and elected officials in the legislative branch to find a way to realize the DREAM.”###
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Monica Khong Seng Thammarath
mtham...@gmail.com | 202.709.6764