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Immigrant Students Deserve a DREAM
Our nation cannot afford to lose the productivity of thousands of undocumented immigrant students, a coalition of union, student and civil rights leaders said today. A day after a massive march in Washington, D.C., for comprehensive immigration reform, the leaders called on Congress to fix the nation’s broken immigration system by passing real reform legislation, including the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act.
At a morning press conference, sponsored by the United States Student Association (USSA), student leaders were joined by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and other union and community leaders. More than 600 USSA members are in town for their legislative conference this week and will visit Capitol Hill to lobby for immigration reform. USSA President Gregory Cendana said:
The DREAM Act will provide some of the hardest working students with the life-changing opportunity to attend college and better their lives as well as their communities. We must now push forward to achieve comprehensive immigration reform and extend opportunity to the next generation of leaders.
The DREAM Act would give conditional legal status and eventual citizenship to undocumented students who graduate from U.S. high schools, are of good moral character, arrived in the United States as minors and have been in the country continuously for at least five years prior to the bill’s enactment.
Tom Saenz, president of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), said the DREAM Act is about harnessing the brain power for the future growth of the country.
But it is as close to a no-brainer as you can get. The immigration system doesn’t follow our constitutional values or serve our national interest. The DREAM Act does both.
Fabiola is an example of the students who desperately need the DREAM Act. (We are not using her full name to prevent her from being identified and possibly deported.) She was only two years old when her father brought her to the United States 22 years ago seeking a better life. Fifteen years ago, her father became a U.S. citizen and all her younger siblings who were born here also are citizens. But Fabiola fell through the legal cracks and is now too old to become a citizen under current immigration law.
But that has not stopped her from working hard to live the American Dream. Last week, she graduated from the University of California Los Angeles with a degree in international development. But she cannot find a job in her field because she is undocumented. She says:
I am a product of a broken immigration system. Part of the American Dream is working hard. I don’t mind that part, but I would just like to see results like everybody else.
In contrast, Adey Fisseha became a citizen a week before graduating from Harvard. Now campaign coordinator for the National Immigration Law Center (NILC), Fisseha said her family fled Ethiopia because her father, a trade unionist, was being persecuted. The family braved the hot sun, attacks by the military and other hardships to finally reach a refugee camp in neighboring Sudan. They eventually made their way to the United States, where they sought a better life. Fisseha’s father now works at the AFL-CIO’s Solidarity Center.
The nation cannot afford to lose students like these, Trumka told the press conference.
Each year approximately 65,000 undocumented immigrant students graduate from U.S. high schools, often despite economic hardship and language barriers. Unless there is a change in immigration law, these capable and hard-working young people will be relegated to a life in the shadows, unable to achieve their full potential—and that’s an outcome our nation can no longer afford.
AFT Secretary-Treasurer Antonia Cortese agreed, telling reporters:
the students have done everything we ask students to do. They studied hard and worked hard and they deserve a chance to succeed.
National Education Association (NEA) Vice President Lily Eskelsen said:
Do you know what it means to me and to teachers all over the country to see these amazing students here today, telling us they get it? They’re saying: We’re not a charity. We’re working hard. But tell us that diploma will take us somewhere.
Trumka emphasized that the DREAM Act is a part of a broader immigration reform. The union movement’s unity framework for comprehensive immigration reform includes five interconnected initiatives. The plan calls for:
- Adjustment of status for currently undocumented immigrants;
- An independent commission to assess and manage future flows, based on labor market shortages that are determined on the basis of actual need;
- A secure and effective worker authorization mechanism;
- Rational operational control of the border;
- Improvement, not expansion, of temporary worker programs, limited to temporary or seasonal, not permanent jobs.
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24 Comments
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“productivity of thousands of undocumented immigrant students”..
There are 6 American applicants for every available job.
“our constitutional values or serve our national interest”
We are a nation of laws; amnesty begets amnesty as we have already seen from the last 1986 amnesty
“” she cannot find a job in her field because she is undocumented”
She can get a job where she is a citizen ; she could work on an H-2 visa like other foriegn workers; and “undocumented” no- she has documents probably many
“the students have done everything we ask students to do”
We? We didn’t ask them or their parents to do anything illegally; we say go home.
“tell us that diploma will take us somewhere” How about home; no one is stopping you from doing great things in your own country.
An American Nebraska chemistry major is suing the state because illegal aliens get instate tuition and he does not.
http://www.numbersusa.com/content/issues/black-americans.html
During the Depression FDR banned ALL immigration. TheAFL-CIO used to be for the American worker. Is there any reason that an illegal should have a job while an American has none? I think you need to answer that question.
These people have gotten a free education at our expense, now they want a college education too? That is beyond absurd. So legal Americans should be DENIED a place in college so that illegals should have THEIR PLACE?
GIVE ME A BREAK!
Papers for All!
Workers of the World Unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains!
International Solidarity of the Working Class!
Forward to Socialism!
amberdru, if you quote numbersusa, you get a deaf ear from me. Numbersusa is a crazy, anti-immigrant organization that borders on tea-party lunacy. They want zero population growth. Talk about getting into your personal business.
As for randyjet, if we follow your train of thinking, we should blame immigrants for the fact that our society can’t educate all its residents? Immigrants are to blame for unemployment? Why don’t you focus your anger at the banks or the big wall street firms who have done more damage to our economy and our standard of living than anything immigrants have done?
Your anger blinds your thinking. One student said she was 2 years old when HER PARENTS BROUGHT HER TO THE US. Why punish her for what her parents did 22 years ago? Are we better off as a society if she cannot work and be a productive member of society? Or are we better off by sending her back to a country she doesn’t know?
If you really are worried about whether US students can enter college, you should fight to ensure education is accessible to everyone. Instead, you attack someone who had no say in her legal status. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
It would seem to me that you, like countless others, have immigrants and illegals confused. They are two entirely different entities. Allow me to clarify.
Immigrant: someone who does the paperwork, pays the fees and waits their turn to enter the country LEGALLY. They are welcome.
Illegal: someone who sneaks across the border in the dark of night or in the trunk of a car or hidden away in the back of a truck with no papers and ahead of those who are waiting. They are NOT (and never will be) welcome.
NumbersUSA is anti-illegal. NOT anti-immigrant. And BTW, the US admits more LEGAL immigrants per year than every other country in the world combined.
The tag line for NumbersUSA on their web site says it all: “For Lower Immigration Levels”. Sounds anti-immigrant to me.
Here’s a word of advice for those who want rights and privileges in this country: Earn them. Come Here Legally.
Why do you think that someone who has broken our law deserves anything other than to be punished? We have American students and legal immigrants who want to go to schools at in-state tuition rates, but they can’t if they aren’t residents of the state their school is in. You think that people who didn’t respect our laws should be granted something we don’t even grant to our own citizens. Not all Union members buy into your Socialistic values of Social Justice! We believe in American first!
I agree with ALL workers, in that if you’re going to use quotes, you should use it from a place that at least tries to be objective.
Randyjet, this whole state of the US of A was based on immigration. Unless you’re a Native American, your forefathers were immigrants too.
Also, college admissions are a selective process. They will pick who ever has better credentials and will be an asset to the college. I would rather give the spot in the college to an illegal that worked their ass off than to a legal who got the spot because the better qualified illegal was denied the spot because he was illegal.
I believe that the economic crisis was due to the fact that people spent beyond their means, and if current Americans were anything like the illegals that came to escape poverty, we wouldn’t be in this ridiculous predicament in the first place. OK, that was a little far-fetched, but I hope you get the point.
You can’t blame unemployment on illegals. Illegals will not take your bank-teller jobs, big retail store jobs, or even your jobs in corporate America because they can’t– those institutions say that you need some kind of status to work for them. They might take your jobs busing tables or mowing lawns, but lets face it– if you were a citizen would you rather bus a table or collect unemployment from the government?
You can’t be a union member and talk about attacking other workers. You basically are arguing against yourself.
What do you mean “Socialistic Values of Social justice. We believe in american First”. It is clear to me that not all dues payers are union members that understand labor standards and solidarity or uniting workers against the boss. It is ok to have differenet ideas among union members. But, if we spend our time attacking children who had nothing to do with their illegality, we are acting like our enemies. We all lose.
If we really want to creat access to higher education, we should be fighting for more student aid, more school construction, better k-12, and against privatization of our education system. But you would rather blame some students who had no control over their status. It is people like you that will keep all workers back.
mignon wrote: Randyjet, this whole state of the US of A was based on immigration. Unless you’re a Native American, your forefathers were immigrants too.
Yes, IMMIGRANTS. NOT illegals!
http://www.youtube.com/user/NumbersUSA#p/a/u/1/7wBMkMPHGsQ
More illegal aliens stealing jobs and identities.
Arkansas-based poultry processor George’s, Inc. recently broke up a scam within its human resources department at one of its plants in Columbia Furnace, Va. Plant employees were using documents submitted by legal applicants to help illegal aliens get jobs at the plant.
Three employees from within the plant’s human resources department copied documents from applicants who were told that there were no jobs at the plant. The employees then sold the documents to illegal workers who were required to forfeit up to $100 per pay period to the human resource employees.
The human resource employees were fired along with the illegal workers, but police were not involved. The break-up was handled by George’s, Inc. The scheme likely violated federal labor laws, but without the company’s cooperation, federal investigators are at a dead end.
AMERICAN students DESERVE A DREAM !!!!!!!!!!!!
As a child, my parents had complete control over where I lived, where I went to school, and I had no voice. My parents made all my decisions for me until I was an adult. Had I entered this country illegally,as a toddler, after spending my entire life here, attending school, being an asset to my community, and managing to attend and graduate college—I would think that America would throw its arms wide open and say, “Look what we did! You are a model citizen—let’s make it official.”
Children are not responsible for crimes committed by their parents, and should not be made to suffer because of them. How would you feel if when you were applying to schools at age 17, and you asked your mom for a copy of your birth certificate, and she drops a bombshell instead—you’re not a citizen, and you can’t apply because you won’t qualify for any financial aid. You lived your life in America as an American, to the best of your knowledge, and suddenly you’re a criminal because your parents messed up. That’s wrong. Every door that was ever opened for you, every opportunity you thought was out there for you, gone in a flash.
The DREAM Act helps to rectify this injustice.
It is a shame the the offspring of Illegal Aliens have been here for 18 ,19 or more years. That is fault of our government’s complete failure to secure our borders. While it isn’t the students fault ,they have live in their family’s world too.
Your parents ,by definition are illegally here,therefore they do not have Constitution rights. They are trepasser, criminals and it should be considered that being born on our soil without being granted the right tobe a legal immigrant , their offspring can not be considered citizens by birth right.
I agree with “illegals go home”. Your fate was sealed by your parents action,not the USA. Our Congress never did their job of protecting the public from Illlegal Aliens. Every illegal that enters is not Mexican Or from any part of Central Or South America. There are many nationalities,some not friendly to the USA,but Homeland security would rather interfer with Katrina aid and blame people not responsible, than secure our border.
Congress is totally out of touch with their constituents. They are REACTIVE . this means we are always behind the “8″ ball instead of being the “cue ball” Hasty ,ill advised decisions and absolute
incompetence. That is the “track record ” to date ,of last 40 years.
They can’t balance the budget . They pull funds out of The
Federal Reserve ( tax payers piggy bank ) with no transparency with eveybody and their uncle pulling out of the pot ,of course they don’t want an audit. How can you trust a Congress that works with “pork barrel” legislation.
Ask your Senator why they voted to bail out the savings and loan industry without first forming a study group of financial experts ( Yale ,Harvard, Noble prize winners etc. ) No,just take the advice of “Jolly George ” and pour billions on a failing bet. Not impressed yet? Auto bail out that gave them time to halt production,fake scarsity of cars and jack up the price a few grand. Fear not ,”cash for clunkers will bost things up. You want to vomit ,look at what that cost the taxpayers of America. Two
theaters of combat. Bomb and rebuild with my money. Shoot only
when fired on. Bumble about the coutry with no set military objective. Every Congressman should be on the point on every search mission.Congress has no idea of how to run the military,but Our West Point ,Annapolis and The USAF Academy, graduate have the skills to win any combat situation. Since we have started this shameless waste of the best fighting force in the world we have made CANNON FODDDER of our men and women
soldiers. If you don’t trust our miltary leaders ,then stay on the porch, don’t send anybody.
Most of the Congress is old enough to remember the horable losses in Viet Nam. They learnednothing from their mistakes. We could have submitted that country in less than a year and lost a fraction of the men. No general was given a clear military objective , the support and trust of our Government. They put us
SLAP in the middle of a civil and political war and tied one hand
behind oir backs and said,”Go get em boys”.
When you fight you do it like General Patton. You go into battle to win at any or all costs to your enemy. When your enemy fears you you have won the mental battle. When they laugh at you as in Iraq and Afghanistan,they will run around you and disgrace you as a joke,not a threat of death. War is no game. Congress should not bother the military once the agree to send them anywhere. As for atrocities,they are part of any hard fought war. Can the house speaker know how trigger happy you get when you are in fear for life. Would an American soldier shoot
an innocent woman down? On purpose,probably not. Scared stiff ,he might and it happens.Might he be a little brutal after seeing his friends head on his chest with his guts pulled out. Get in that man’s sights,look even similar to the enemy and he will shot you. Only men who have been under fire and seen unthinkable acts of cruelty should be the judge of so called atrocity.
Congress did handle that “hot Potato” getting In God We Trust
of our currency. You can see their WIN LOSS record.You are living in the aftermath of their inept handling of our great UNION.
That is why you hear the cry,” END THE FED”. We the people ,
are sick and tired of the poor job you do for a great paycheck. Is there a real Amerivcan statesman in the lot of you self serving
incompetents?
You young people have been doomed by the fact that you are here on a lie. The fact that you are in this situation is the fault of
our Congress,presidents and involved officials,past and present.
Call or write the Congressmen in your state. I hope you get better responsive action than I have. I still hammer at them , not
because I’m stupid, but because I’m a veteran 67 to 71,(my miltary jacket is not sealed) and I consider myself a stubborn old
patriot.I hate to see what has happened to our great America.
I am a USA Citizen!
Let us get some facts straight. If you are an immigrant and are here illegally for what ever reason, you are breaking the law.
If you are here illegally and you are pushing for the DREAM Act you are dreaming. No one wants to listen to your hardship story. There will be no amnesty. Immigration Reform is not needed. We have laws in place and they will be enforced so prepare now to sell or give your property away and leave.
The open and big hearts of the USA Citizens has been trampled on because now the illegal immigrant has over stayed their welcome.
We need to look within our nation and put our own USA Citizens first. Greedy businesses have undermined us and organizations like the AFL-CIO who blindly support illegal immigrants. Why?
Where are your jobs now USA Citizen? Benefits? Pensions? Seniority? Happiness?
So AFL-CIO who’s side are you on?
Cheap foreign labor or the USA Citizen? I think there should be a USA Citizen Union that really protects their members. A strong organization that uses E-Verify to protects it’s workers. Maybe that organization can bring back manufacturing and jobs to the United States of America.
No illegal immigrant bashing, just removal!
Every USA Citizen needs to get an education, get the facts on illegal immigration, don’t take my word on it. Think about your children if not yourself!
Contact your Congressperson and Senators and tell them what you want. Make sure you tell them that your are an USA Citizen and can prove it.
Learn about the SAVE Act. Tell you President to stop lying to the illegal immigrants about amnesty and the businesses who hire them as they have handed your job to them. Get tough on the USA. Before the USA gets tough on you!
I’m with you 100%. This country has been a doormat long enough. Times are tough enough for the citizens of this country right now without throwing illegals and their anchor babies in the mix! It’s time OUR government stood up for US!
Those bozos in Washington ARE NOT LISTENING! They have forgotten how they got where they are. Come Novermber, hopefully, they will get a CLEAR message regarding our anger and disappointment! We elected them and we can unelect them. Let’s make it happen! Rise Up America!
Thank you, AFL-CIO, for getting behind such an important issue. Increasing access to higher eduction leaves all of us better off. The DREAM Act recognizes that the undocumented immigrants who came here as children have a rights to work hard, contribute to our economy, and live freely in the land they call home.
Immigration reform is needed now. Undocumented students will benefit greatly from the Dream Act, but the country’s economy will benefit far more from this legislation. Smart minds are few and letting them go to waste is wrong.
Pass the DREAM Act! Many of these children have been here since they were toddlers. They are probably more American than the children of the anti-immigrant posters.
As the HCR fight has shown us, it is possible to pass legislation in these difficult times! Pass the DREAM Act, Pass immigration reform! Onward!
Wow, the ALIPAC and NumbersUSA Astroturf crowd doesn’t waste much time do they? How much longer before a LONG post from Britannicus shows up?
Enforce the Immigration Laws, DEPORT All illegal immigrants. SUPPORT UNITED STATES CITIZENS NOT the illegal immigrants. I am PROUD that my Union Plant Has NO illegal immigrants. What is SO WRONG to come to UNITED STATES LEGALLY? The illegal immigrants are a Burden to the UNITED STATES TAXPAYER.
What is so wrong to come to the US legally? Perhaps it’s because it takes so damn long to become legal immigrants that it is easier to bypass the bureaucracy that comes with registering with ICE.
If a immigrant goes thru INS, they have a Criminal back-ground check and check for Diseases. Every body in the World has the chance to come to UNITED STATES LEGALLY. The illegal immigrants are BREAKING UNITED STATES LAWS. The law is CLEAR; DEPORT ALL illegal immigrants. The illegal immigrants are taking JOBS UNITED STATES CITIZENS WOULD DO. It does NOT take that Long to come over LEGALLY, Been There, Done That.
There is no law that stipulates all illegal aliens must be deported. Those that have committed a major crime are ususally deported. They are breaking the law by being here illegally, but the system is too overwhelmed to enforce the law. It’s more helpful to make those already here legal citizens. It is also less of a burden on our economy to make them citizens than it is to deport them. Deportations lead to seperation of families, which is counters all that is beautiful about America.
Yes, it does take that long.