Critical vote on DREAM Act coming Wednesday

[DemFromMem]

Most folks here probably don't know much about the DREAM Act. This is a bill that generally has had wide bipartisan support over the past few years. It would allow young unlawfully present immigrants who entered the US before age 16 and have been in the US at least five years, who have graduated high school and who have no criminal history, to legalize their status temporarily and then get a green card if they go to college for at least two years and make good grades or serve in the military honorably.

Most of these young people came to the US because their parents took them here, not out of their own free will. If you want to condemn their parents, that's understandable. But their children should not bear this responsibility. Many cannot speak any language other than English and have no memory of their home country. And we're wasting incredibly valuable talent by making it impossible for these folks to attend college, serve in the military and obtain decent jobs.

Senator Reid will bring the DREAM Act up for a vote on Wednesday. Most Democrats will vote for the bill, but need your encouragement. But let your Republican Senators know that they need to vote the right way on this. The wackos on the right are already lighting up the switchboard in DC to kill this bill. In the past, a lot of Republicans supported this bill. But in the past year, many have run to the right on immigration issues because they fear the extremists in their party. While this will kill the GOP in the long run, there's an important bill that needs to get passed right now.

PLEASE contact your Senator and let them know that you support the DREAM Act. You can find great information at http://www.nilc.org/immlawpolicy/DREAM/index.htm and details on contacting your Senator at http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm .

Thanks!

[williesgirl]

1. Sorry but I disagree and hate how Reid has handled this. These kids have no

right to get in line AHEAD of citizen's children to attend college. It's hard enough to get in state schools now as in-state residents w/o having to contend with millions of illegal's kids as well. Their parents haven't paid the taxes that have built and continually funded the schools - we have.

[DemFromMem]

4. The provision in question has been removed

There are no tuition breaks anymore in the legislation. That was deemed controversial - for the reasons you note - and removed.

[TwilightGardener]

2. I support the DREAM act. They're not "getting ahead" of anybody--

they just become eligible for funds/loans to go to college AFTER meeting certain eligibility requirements--that was my understanding. Geez, wouldn't want any well-educated, productive citizens to result from the illegal-immigration fiasco. I guess that would be the worst-case scenario. Better idea--just let them keep picking our lettuce and making Super8's motel beds, make them pay for the sins of their parents.

[ChiciB1]

3. Well, Seems That's ALL We Get To Do these Days... Is Dream!!

However, most of them turn into nightmares! Sorry, I've become so very very cynical about almost EVERYTHING that goes on in the HALLS OF CONGRESS!!

WH rules it seems!