Senate Dems To Obama: Stop Deporting DREAM Act Students

WASHINGTON -- Leading Senate Democrats, including Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.), called on the president on Wednesday to stop deporting undocumented young people who grew up in the United States.

A letter signed by 22 Senate Democrats asks President Barack Obama to use his executive authority to prevent deportation of young people who would have benefited from the DREAM Act, a bill that failed in the upper chamber last year. The legislation would have allowed undocumented immigrants who entered the U.S. as children to stay, provided they kept a clean record and either enrolled in college or joined the military.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and her Democratic co-signers said in the letter that they will try to push to pass the DREAM Act through the Senate this session. But facing strong opposition from the Republican-led House, the senators argued the president should move in the meantime to help DREAM Act-eligible students and military service members.

"Current law unfairly punishes thousands of young people who grew up here and know only America as their home, holding them back from making a contribution to our country's military and economy," Gillibrand said in a statement within the message to Obama. "These young people deserve better."

Fellow New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the leading Democrat on immigration, sent a separate letter to the Obama administration on Thursday with a similar thrust.

The White House has pledged support for the bill. But the administration has been unreceptive to requests to block DREAM Act-eligible young people from deportation. Homeland Security Sec. Janet Napolitano said her agency would stay the course on immigration, even if it meant deporting students who would be protected under the legislation.

"I am not going to stand here and say that there are whole categories that we will, by executive fiat, exempt from the current immigration system -- as sympathetic as we feel towards them," she said at a recent appearance. Still, Napolitano added that cracking down on undocumented young people is "not the priority."

But the Senate Democrats, along with a coalition of House Democrats and immigrant rights groups, argue that Obama does have the legal right to stop certain deportations. The administration says it uses discretion in immigration enforcement to prioritize expelling the "worst of the worst," but Immigration and Customs Enforcement also deports many undocumented immigrants who are never convicted of a crime.

Many young people who would be eligible for the DREAM Act end up in removal proceedings, despite claims that they are not the priority of immigration enforcement.

The letter from Senate Democrats calls for the president to grant "deferred action" to young people who meet the requirements that would allow them to avoid deportation under the bill. The letter was also signed by Democratic Sens. Carl Levin (Mich.), Dick Durbin (Ill.), Maria Cantwell (Wash.), Patty Murray (Wash.) and others.

"We strongly believe that DREAM Act students should not be removed from the United States," the letter reads, "because they have great potential to contribute to our country and children should not be punished for their parents' mistakes."

Comments

[ka0226]

05:16 PM on 06/12/2011

These democrats took an oath to uphold the constitution and now they want to curtail the legislative process and have an executive order dictate policy. Shame on them. They should all be recalled by their states for treason.

[ladysmithe]

04:52 PM on 05/13/2011

The laws should be enforced as it now stands. It is doubtful that the dream act as it is written will or should pass and become law. The President should not be picking and choosing which laws he will enforce. If he is re-elected and can also gain some seats in the House, he may be able to pass it. I don't understand why a young illega should be eligible after two years of college. College is a benefit to the illegal, not to the taxpayer that already paid for their K-12 education. If the bill was changed to four years of community service instead of two years of college you might see more support. Most taxpayers do not want amnesty.

[ol boy]

01:16 PM on 05/11/2011

My children will be in college next year. They do not get the breaks that illegal alliens or anchor babies of illegals get. Is that fair? And part of the tuition they pay goes to make up what illegals don't pay!

[ol boy]

01:10 PM on 05/11/2011

The only dream act I want to see is an AMERICAN DREAM ACT and it goes like this:
I want to be able to live the dream of a U.S. citizen: 1. Border security, not empty words; 2. Deportation of all illegal aliens the following: a) seizure of ALL wages and property as payment for back/unpaid taxes. b) forfiture of ANY access to the U.S.A. for five (5) years, c) anchor babies must return with their parents to theh parent's country of origin until 18 years of age, d) a through check for any and all crimes possibly committed while here (fingerprints, DNA, photographs, etc. will be taken and retained as part of the deportation process), e) a second apprehension for being in the U.S.A. illegally will result in a lifetime ban on entry into the U.S. for whatever reason, f) commission of ANY felony in the U.S. will require and EXTRA 5 (five) years of prison at hard labor, immediate deportation upon release from prison, and a lifetime ban on re-entry into the U.S., and g) a second (or two felony convictions) will result in life imprisonment or the death penmality without appeal if appropriate to the second crime.

Yes, an AMERICAN DREAM ACT.

[Vavavoom]

02:37 PM on 06/12/2011

Sure, sounds good.
Too bad most people ignore the fact that illegal immigration is a symptom, not a cause.
Those who are your leaders, those who supposedly would provide your American dream life, are benefiting financially from this messed up system. It is all about money and neither you or I are getting the dough.

[John Mainstream]

12:49 PM on 05/10/2011

Let's see. Their parrents are illegal. They are illegal, but they go to taxpayer-support colleges. Then Dems want to reward their illegal activities by admitting them into the teachers union for the world's highest-paying part-time jobs.

[Katie OConnell]

05:39 PM on 04/26/2011

You can write to President Obama and ask him to treat young people fairly with a consistent deferred action policy. Check out the “Reaching for a DREAM” campaign page on Connecting Our World today to take action: http://www.connectingourworld.org/?page_id=928.

[Robearbeach]

12:43 PM on 04/20/2011

Aren't there any universities in Mexico? (rhetorical question). Like, um, why is it the responsibility of the citizens of this country to pay the tuition of foreign nationals here illegally, rather than using that money to educate our own citizens?

[Dream Act Pro]

12:49 AM on 04/23/2011

Illegal Immigrants pay taxes too, and so they have as much rights to education as anyone in the United States

[Robearbeach]

03:25 AM on 04/24/2011

But the so-called Dream Act gives them more rights than U.S. citizens. And, for the record, illegal aliens pay less taxes than the receive in benefits. They are the least productive which is why Mexico wants the out of its system and in ours.

[RNP2233]

08:48 AM on 04/25/2011

now who is telling the lies- When do they pay taxes??

[ol boy]

01:14 PM on 05/11/2011

Yes, but they're equivalent to out middle school/junio highs...

[Robearbeach]

03:43 PM on 05/11/2011

And that's really bad because thanks to the NEA, teacher's unions and politicized teacher education, our middle school/junior highs are the equivalent to third or fourth grade in the average Catholic elementary school.

[IllTakeTheRedEye]

03:48 AM on 04/17/2011

Recently, I saw Amy Wilkinson speaking from the Wilson Center advocating for more H1b in the USA and the DREAM Act within the same sentence.
 
It is amazing how often advocates for both seem to think that the USA has a shortage of smart, skllled, or talented people in the USA.
 
The USA does not have a labor shortage.
The USA does not have a shortage of smart, skilled, or talented people in the USA.
The USA has the same genetic makeup as the rest of the planet
 
But the arguments repeatedly are the same, people in the USA are bad, people from outside the USA are good. There is never any foundation to this, it is just an attempt to brainwash people inside the USA.
 
As long as the push to displace USA Americans with foreign nationals continues by the elites in the USA, I will continue to push back every way that I can. That will begin with grass roots to get rid of "Senate Dems" that believe they can arrogantly give Temporary Protective Status or amnesty-in-disguise, when that can only happen when the Senate, House, and White House sign legislation to that effect.
 
[NOTE: I will also push grass roots campainging to get rid of anyone in the GOP that supports Temporary Protective Status or amnesty-in-disguise for illegal aliens in the USA, just because the DREAM Act failed last December as well.]

[voyager48]

01:29 PM on 04/20/2011

Obama and the Democrats are asking the people to believe in them - when what we really need is a president and government that believe in the people. Not that I support them but I think that is why the Dems will never understand the appeal that someone like Palin or Trump have.

If you believe the anti-SB1070 argument there is absolutely no race neutral way to enforce any laws in this country and it is not a serious offence to be undocumented in this country. Merely not having papers on you is equated to being undocumented in their eyes. These aspects totally disregard gains made by the civil rights movement and also the fact that to get into the country without being documented requires and working without authorization that you break one or more federal laws. Yet unless we actually see them climbing the wall - it is not a crime! And if they make it over the wall - they automatically have the same rights as citizens - so why is everyone being nasty to them?

[brokerallen]

12:10 AM on 04/17/2011

I am for comprehensive reform. That said, we need to maintain our rule of law. In our Democratic process the Dream Act failed. That should be that until next time. The media makes the case that jobs was the issue in the last election. I think it had more to do with the Democrats in Congress giving a standing ovation to the President of Mexico after he criticized
the United States. The Democrats need to know which countries citizens they represent.

[ugly american]

08:01 PM on 04/16/2011

Aside from the issue that any nation that has immigration laws is racist and xenophobic, what is the purpose behind such laws?
Is it to control the growth of the population? There has been rapid recent growth in the US, largely due to a sudden rise in the Hispanic population.
At the same time there are unknown numbers of people coming across the US border with Mexico, that country is publicly hailing the defeat of Arizona 1070 and saying that because of laws like it they have a lower opinion of the US.
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2011/0415/Mexican-opinion-of-US-dwindles-amid-spread-of-Arizona-style-immigration-laws
They demand that we relax our immigration laws for their people and Hispanics in general.
If we did then our laws would be discriminatory.
The Dream Act failed because it offers foreigners alot but nothing at to Americans at a time when most citizens cannot afford college.
If it was a "dream" for everyone and offered (for example) federal financing at ultra-low rates to citizens as well as citizenship to foreigners, it might have passed.
That these kids had time to grow up in the US illegally says something about past enforcement of laws. They are generally staying, obviously.
And our Democrats and Republicans still don't get it:
Concern themselves with jobs for Americans. Worry how to make other countries citizens happy another time.

[eye8urcake]

04:34 PM on 06/12/2011

Thanks for the link to an interesting and enlightening article.

It begs the question of why, if Mexican opinion of America is tanking so hard, they keep coming over the border illegally in droves.

[wdw808]

01:41 PM on 04/15/2011

an illegal and has contact with government should be deported..­.....

no banking should be allowed by any illegal...­....

make it legal for landlords to check the e-verify database for legal status of potential renters

then make it a crime to rent to illegals

no buildings should be able to be purchased by any illegal

no car purchase allowed by any illegal

tax 75% all bank wires unless US citizenshi­p can be proven

no drivers licenses for any illegal

fine and jail employer by any illegal

just make being an illegal harder and less will want that life

[forkuu]

03:16 PM on 04/15/2011

no foresight in this. if the illegals were given an amnesty and a chance to become legal many of our financial woes would be solved. the tax income alone would help social security become solvent. the bottom line is hispanics are now the number 2 rising ethnic group in our country . they will have the power and this is something republicans cannot ignore much longer .
eventually they will get their way.

[spytheweb]

05:00 PM on 04/15/2011

They have power in Mexico where the population is 100% Latino, how's that working out? This is what America has to look forward to?

The popular vote is not what counts.

[Viper1st]

05:54 PM on 04/15/2011

Point of Query ~

If there are 8 million (down from an all time high of 10.2 million in 2007) illegal foreign nationals working illegally in the USA

Their SSA deductions go into a SSA Suspension Fund account that they'll never benefit from due to invalid SSN(s)

I submit the U.S. Economy hasn't improved a bit ~

In fact, 2011-12 fical budget deficit is at an all time high of $1.5 trillion & the U.S. Debt is at an all time high of $14.3 trillion

Based on these facts ~ one would have to surmise that illegal foreign nationals must therefore be costing the U.S. economy more than they are benefiting the U.S. economy

[Dream Act Pro]

12:54 AM on 04/23/2011

you're just economically uneducated..

[Lex Alvaro]

12:29 PM on 04/15/2011

Iligals or not, every person in the USA is a good business. If you care enough for the welfare of this country, zero in putting everyone to work, not putting one against another group.

[Viper1st]

12:52 PM on 04/15/2011

How many jobs can you offer to putting the 14 million unemployed to work

[spytheweb]

05:01 PM on 04/15/2011

I want to live in this guy's basement, he won't mind.

[papapj]

04:25 PM on 04/16/2011

The $3.50 per hour jobs that involve picking tomatoes are there....none of the locals want them, though....

[RobietheCat]

10:03 PM on 04/15/2011

STUDIO CITY, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Following an extensive search, Los Angeles police tracked down a murder suspect in Studio City on Friday.

Authorities located 20-year-old Luis Solano about 1:30 p.m. after a two-hour manhunt in the area of Ventura and Laurel Canyon boulevards.

Police say Salano is a known violent gang member and a suspect wanted in connection with a killing in Valley Glen in November.

Officers had spotted Salano just before 11:30 a.m. near a school, but he managed to get away.

Police immediately locked down schools in the area. Carpenter Avenue Elementary and the Country School were placed on lockdown.

A wide search perimeter was set up in the area of Carpenter Avenue, just east of Laurel Canyon Boulevard, and after several hours of the massive manhunt with search dogs and more, police got their man.

No one was hurt during the search.

Authorities said Salano and another man were suspects in the shooting death of 26-year-old Pedro Martinez in the community of Valley Glen on Nov. 18.

from: http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=8075462

- Maybe the Dems will pardon this vermin. Imagine how many TAX DOLLARS this fool with suck up? Millions. Imagine tens of thousands like him to find, try and incarcerate. No wonder CA is broke.

[jim chavez]

11:22 PM on 04/15/2011

hmmm read the whole story and then watched the video and didn't see where it said he was an illegal? unless his name tipped you off. p.s. there are 45 murders daily in the US, lets stop cutting funds to police officers so we can catch these MURDERERS.

[forkuu]

06:07 AM on 04/17/2011

typical anti latino attitude. it doesnt say he is illegal . are you ignoring the crimes committed by the whites in this country ? i mean we can start going down the enormous list of white "vermin" some people have tunnel vision.

[Just-a-Guy]

12:09 PM on 04/15/2011

Rand Paul will fix this

[Liberalperson]

11:59 AM on 04/15/2011

We need to put a moratorium on all illegal and legal immigration until our employment levels improve. This country is going for broke, fast. So you see, it isn't a matter of liking or disliking a group of people or a group of immigrants. It is a matter of salvaging what we have left of this country before it really sinks.The illegal aliens are ILLEGAL so that is who must be cut first. I am sorry, but most of the Democrats that I personally know want to put an end to illegal immigration, oppose comprehensive immigration reform, oppose birthright citizenship, and support the US worker. I am sorry, but the illegal must go.

[mr johny]

09:30 AM on 04/18/2011

so do u think all the rest of the citizens or "legal" people will go and do a illegals job??...this country is going for broke all because of greety people who doesnt see the truth and the way out and because of all the money that goes into needless things that does no body good

[Iconcoclast]

11:43 AM on 04/15/2011

There is some merit to the argument that these kids shouldn't be deported based on their parents illegal acts (and our government's intentional failure to enforce immigration laws). Not much merit, but some.

So deal with it like any other immigration issue--set a quota and allocate that quota among the different groups of illegal immigrants. Setup a lottery within those groups and let chance pick the winners and losers.