Tomorrow, the Senate will have the same opportunity as the House did last week to fulfill thousands of American dreams, including their own.
The American people elected each senator with the faith that they would live up to the ideals of our forefathers, and make smart decisions to lead the country towards shared prosperity. Their vote on the DREAM Act will test that faith.
This is a defining moment for all senators, especially for Republicans who will show their true colors by how they vote on the DREAM Act, which paves a path toward U.S. citizenship for undocumented students brought here as young children if they attend college or serve in the military. Tomorrow will tell if they value the American dream, if they believe in a well-educated and competitive workforce, if they are truly striving for American prosperity, if they are indeed worthy of the office they hold. Saturday's vote will tell us if they have the courage to lead.
Our country is in crisis; we're trailing behind other nations and are not as competitive as we used to be. This is not the time to ignore the obvious. This is a time to take action. We need realistic solutions to create jobs, educate our youth, and reduce the national debt. The answer is simple: invest in the future of our country by letting the DREAMers, as undocumented students are called, fulfill their American dreams.
When the legislation comes to a vote tomorrow, the Senate will be faced with two choices: jump on the opportunity to steer the country toward shared prosperity, or send a clear message to immigrant communities that our contributions are not welcome here.
We have invested in DREAMers with a K-12 education, but stop them short of fully contributing to our society. Our own irrational laws restrict the return we can see on our investment. Not because DREAMers can't succeed, but because we won't allow thousands of homegrown achievers to use their U.S. educations, receive college educations, or enter tomorrow's workforce and be counted among the next generation of American taxpayers making the U.S. a global competitor to be reckoned with.
We can generate an estimated $2.2 billion in net revenues over 10 years by enacting the DREAM Act. People with college educations earn more than their high school-educated counterparts, and contribute more to our nation's economy. The DREAM Act gives DREAMers the chance to get a higher education, open businesses, create new jobs, and pay taxes.
This is why the Senate must pass into law the DREAM Act, because if they do, we as a nation stand to benefit from the significant contributions of these dedicated achievers, and they as elected voices will be fulfilling the American dream.
It is my hope -- and that of educators, faith leaders, the 1 million people who have called their senators, and thousands students who are holding their breath nationwide -- that they will make the smart decision, and pass the DREAM Act.
Saturday's vote on the DREAM Act will send a loud and clear message. The growing electorate will remember this vote when we go to the voting booths in 2012 and remember clearly which Members of Congress voted to fulfill our collective dreams of a better future. America deserves better. We can do better. Pass the DREAM Act!
reading the first page of comments has really depressed me.
what harm is there in providing a path to citizenship for law-abiding youngsters who could and would positively contribute to our country?
all of these spiteful and hate-filled comments are so........ un-American. they're certainly not representative of how i view my country.
A certain number of requirements are required for a process.
Let's call this "alpha" Fulfilling these brings certain rewards.Only fulfilling "alpha" causes this
Another set of behaviors and /or requirements -called "beta'' doesn't overlap with "alpha" in any cases.But,you think it should bring the same response.That's inane
TJ Watson,the president of IBM recommended ther be a " THINK" sign in every office I understand you can buy one (reduced rates) at Amazon
How to not subsidize when they are here? Big problem. Answer--they gotta go.
the smart thing would be to integrate them so they become contributing members of our society--not relegate them to permanent underclass status in which they don't pay taxes and still benefit (some) from social programs.
Deal?
because a Dream Act Student getting Instate tuition and a minority status is taking your place!
I hope your dream does not come true. Too many American citizens are havining their dreams turned into nightmares.
Remember, illegal aliens reduce costs and increase the dividends.
Last I checked the opposite of undocumented is documented. So if a person were undocumented then they would need to get documented. And Yes it is really that simple and you can sum it up in two words Self Responsibility. And if taking responsibility for your own life and actions is to much for you to handle well then last i checked crossing the border going south should be your next course of action.
There has been and always will be legal courses of action for working or to become a citizen. to come into America through illegal channels and then ask for special considerations is pathetic.
1. If you migrate to this county, you must speak the native language
2. You have to be a professional or an investor. No unskilled workers allowed.
3. There will be no special bilingual programs in the schools, no special ballots for elections, all government business will be conducted in our language.
4. Foreigners will NOT have the right to vote no matter how long they are here.
5 Foreigners will NEVER be able to hold political office.
6. Foreigners will not be a burden to the taxpayers. No welfare, no food stamps, no health care, or other government assistance programs.
7. Foreigners can invest in this country, but it must be an amount equal to 40,000 times the daily minimum wage.
8. If foreigners do come and want to buy land that will be okay, BUT options will be restricted. You are not allowed waterfront property. That is reserved for citizens naturally born into this country.
9. Foreigners may not protest; no demonstrations, no waving a foreign flag, no political organizing, no badmouthing our president or his policies, if you do you will be sent home.
10. If you do come to this country illegally, you will be hunted down and sent straight to jail.
To all the hapless students caught in limbo created by their illegal immigrant parents, I suggest they persuade their parents to take the family home and apply legally to come into the country. I know it's hard. Following the law is often harder than breaking it.
There is nothing virtuous or praiseworthy about having hidden out in the US for a number of years, taking full advantage of our educational system and other benefits, such that we should reward it with taxpayer subsidized higher education and ill deserved path to citizenship.
A child-- brought here by a parent--has not broken any laws. The parent is the law breaker. How can a toddler or infant be guilty of any thing? If that child grows up here, goes to school & obeys the laws, why send them to a country that is now strange to them? I don't see the logic in that.
At least make up your mind if you expect someone to agree with you. What exactly is your position? Are the infants, toddlers, and children guilty of doing something wrong or are they not guilty of doing something wrong?
http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/docs/WhyDontTheyGetInLine03-08.pdf
http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/docs/WhyDontTheyComeLegally01-08_0.pdf
http://www.travel.state.gov/pdf/WaitingListItem.pdf
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As a gay tax paying American I would love nothing better than to sponsor my partner, to go through the process. Problem is....there isn't a process for me or my partner. In the end we will have to, like so many thousands of other gay binational couples, find a third country to take us or live on opposite sides of the world until finally the distance and lack of time together breaks us apart. The system we have is antiquated at best. And it's overly slow. And it isn't the fairest.
I don't think the DREAM act will pass but I support it. If only the politicians would stop acting like children, and start passing legislation that would benefit our country.
The Supreme Court FORCED that law upon the American taxpayers.
And, I say it's high time we repeal it.
Sometimes unethical ideas find their way into law. If you read history you would know that.