Support a DREAM at Change.org

Each year approximately 2.8 million students graduate from US High Schools. Some will go on to college, join the military, or take other paths in life, hopefully all becoming productive members of society.

But for approximately 65,000 of them, these opportunities will never be available. Not because they lack motivation, or achievement, but because of the undocumented status passed on to them by their parents.

Lacking legal status and social security numbers, these students, raised and schooled in the US, cannot apply to college, get jobs other than those at the bottom of the economic ladder, or otherwise follow their dreams.

They grew up on American soil, worked hard and succeeded in spite of all odds, and want nothing more than to be recognized as individuals and not just the holders of a status they had no part in acquiring.

In Washington, politicians have debated the fate of these kids for more than seven years, holding lives and futures in their hands while vying for political advantage.

For these kids, and thousands more who have already managed through sheer force of will to complete their higher education, but now face a life of uncertainty and alienation, the DREAM Act is the only answer

Even for those living in states that do allow them to complete their higher education, working low paying jobs just to make ends meet and pay their own college costs, many of these students, once completing their educations, face an uncertain future where advanced degrees are all but worthless without the legal documentation to join the workforce as productive members

Without proper documentation and social security numbers they are unable to move from the "underground economy" of their parents' world into the mainstream workforce that their educations give them the ability to participate in.

.
One would think that legislation that would allow thousands of high school graduates yearly the opportunity to pursue higher education could garner pretty widespread support in Washington.

And if these graduates came from a segment of society which the right-wing continually claims under-performs academically, and eventually becomes a burden on society, one would think winger politicians would be falling over themselves to support legislation that would enable these ethnic scholars to become more productive members of society ... even if to only supply more to the tax base.

OK .. just kidding .

We all know that wingers see immigrant kids yearning for an education and say:

"No way, your American dream ends right here, we don't care that you were raised and schooled in this country, we don't care that despite all odds, you've succeeded, we don't care that you're just as 'American' as the next kid."

...all they see are "illegal aliens"


For these students, opportunities that most children take for granted will never be available. They cannot live up to their potential, because they lack the legal documentation to do so. Children that grew up on American soil, respected the laws of this country, and want nothing more than to be recognized for what they are; Americans .... despite the "sins of there fathers."


But it doesn't have to be this way

A simple little bill can change the situation.

At seven pages long it's got a few simple provisions that would allow thousands of kids who've worked hard and played by the rules to qualify for the exact same rights afforded every student in the nation. ... the right to continue their educations and make a better life for themselves and there families.

Wingers call the legislation "just one more shamnsty" bill, because it allows those who have lived here most of there lives, and know no other home, a conditional reprieve from arrest and deportation. It allows them a chance to temporarily shrug off the yoke of their parents "misdeeds" and provides them an opportunity to prove themselves "worthy" of their adopted home.

The DREAM Act would provide nothing more than a path to legality for persons brought illegally to the United States by their parents as children, or whose parents attempted to immigrate legally but were then denied legality.

To qualify, the immigrant student would have to meet certain requirements:

• Proof of having arrived in the United States before reaching 16 years of age;



• Proof of residence in the United States for a least five (5) consecutive years since their date of arrival.



• Having graduated from an American High School, or obtained a GED.



• "Good moral character," essentially defined as the absence of a significant criminal record (or any drug charges whatsoever).

After meeting the above requirements students would be eligible to apply for a temporary six year "conditional" residence permit which would allow them to live legally in the United States. They could obtain driver's licenses, attend college as in-state residents where applicable, work legally (including obtaining a social security number), and apply for special travel documents which would allow for travel outside of the country for limited amounts of time.

During the six years of conditional status, the eligible immigrant would be required to either:

1. graduate from a two-year community college,


2. Complete at least two years towards a 4-year degree, or


3. serve two years in the U.S. military.

After the six year period, an immigrant who meets at least one of these three conditions would be eligible to apply for legal permanent resident (green card) status. During their temporary time, immigrants would not be eligible for federal higher education grants such as Pell grants, though they would be able to apply for student loans and work study.

If the immigrant does not meet the educational or military service requirement within the six year time period, their temporary residence would be revoked and he or she would be subject to deportation.

During the six years, the immigrant must not commit any crimes other than those considered non-drug related misdemeanors, regardless of whether or not they have already been approved for permanent status at the end of their six years.

Being convicted of a major crime or drug-related infraction would automatically remove the six year temporary residence status and he or she would be subject to deportation.

If the immigrant meets all of the conditions at the end of the 6-year conditional period, he or she would be granted a permanent green card with the same rights as a permanent resident alien, including the right to apply for U.S. citizenship.

It's a simple enough bill. No hundreds of pages of legal-speak and loopholes like most immigration related legislation.

The qualifications are simple and cut and dry, The "benefits" and obligations easily understood. You can read a copy here (PDF) to see for yourself.

But there's not much to debate here.

For progressives this choice should be clear. One either sees these children raised and schooled in America as future Americans ...or sees them as nothing more than the products of their parents "misdeeds" who must be punished the rest of their lives as such.

Please show your support for the 2.5 million DREAMERS whose only hope of ever breaking out cycle of undocumented status is the passage of the DREAM Act.

Go to CHANGE.ORG and vote to make the DREAM Act a priority in the upcoming legislative session.

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ICE: Keeping America safe from High School valedictorians

Arthur Mkoyan's 4.0 grade-point average has made him a valedictorian at Bullard High School in Fresno and qualified him to enter one of the state's top universities.

But while his classmates look forward to dorm food and college courses this fall, Arthur Mkoyan may not make it.

He is being deported.

Arthur, 17, and his mother have been ordered out of the country. By late June, they may be headed to Armenia.

Arthur hasn't seen Armenia since he was 2, and he doesn't want to return. The thin, rather shy teenager doesn't speak Armenian and barely understands the language when it's spoken to him.

"Hopefully, I can somehow stay here and continue my studies here," he said. "It would be hard if I go back."

The family fled from the old Soviet Union and has been seeking asylum since 1992. The appeals ran out this year.

He and his mother, who did not want to be identified for fear of losing her job and income she needs, were given an extension to June 20 so Arthur could join his class at the ceremony, said Virginia Kice, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

… Arthur's father, Ruben Mkoian, ran a general store and worked as a police officer in the then-Soviet Republic of Armenia, where he was threatened by independence supporters as the Soviet Union was breaking up, Arthur's mother said. His store was broken into and the family home was burned down, she said.

Seeking a safer life, Mkoian left for Fresno in December 1991 and soon applied for political asylum. Mkoian, who spells his name differently from his son, chose Fresno because he had a close friend here.

Arthur and his mother spent three years in Russia before joining Mkoian in Fresno in 1995.

Mkoian worked for a carpet business and later as a truck driver. But winning asylum turned out to be difficult. Asylum seekers must prove they would suffer severe persecution if they return to their country.

Mkoian's asylum application, which included his family, ultimately was rejected. He appealed the decision to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, which ruled against him in January.

Immigration officers picked up Mkoian, now 46, in April at his Fresno home, according to his family. He is now in a detention center in Arizona.

FresnoBee

This is just another case, in a long list, for why the failure of Congress to pass the DREAM Act was so important. This young man should have been heading off to college this fall to further his already successful academic career … instead he'll be shipped off to a country he doesn't even know and an uncertain future.

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On "A Dream Deferred"

Each year approximately 2.8 million students graduate from US High Schools. Some will go on to college, join the military, or take other paths in life, hopefully all becoming productive members of society.

But for approximately 65,000 of them, these opportunities will never be available. Not because they lack motivation, or achievement, but because of the undocumented status passed on to them by their parents.

Lacking legal status and social security numbers, these students, raised and schooled in the US, cannot apply to college, get jobs other than those at the bottom of the economic ladder, or otherwise follow their dreams.

They grew up on American soil, worked hard and succeeded in spite of all odds, and want nothing more than to be recognized as individuals and not just the holders of a status they had no part in acquiring.

In Washington, politicians have debated the fate of these kids for more than seven years, holding lives and futures in their hands while vying for political advantage.

For these kids, and thousands more who have already managed through sheer force of will to complete their higher education, but now face a life of uncertainty and alienation, the DREAM Act is the only answer.

One would think that a bill that would allow 65,000 high school graduates yearly the opportunity to pursue higher education could garner pretty widespread support in Washington, particularly given our President's commitment to educational excellence and leaving no child behind.

And if these graduates came from a segment of society which the right-wing continually claims under-performs academically, and eventually becomes a burden on society, one would think winger politicians would be falling over themselves to support legislation that would enable these ethnic scholars to become more productive members of society ... even if to only supply more to the tax base.

OK .. just kidding .

We all know that wingers see 65,000 immigrant kids yearning for an education and say:

"No way, your American dream ends right here, we don't care that you were raised and schooled in this country, we don't care that despite all odds, you've succeeded, we don't care that you're just as 'American' as the next kid."

…all they see are "illegal aliens"

But as evidenced by some of the reader responses posted at certain "progresssive web sites" to a recently released video entitled, "A Dream Deferred", that deals with the struggle of DREAM students, it's not just wingers who cannot get beyond ignorance and stereotypes.

While many of those who commented on the video were clearly misinformed about the exact nature of the DREAM Act, the ability of self-proclaimed progressives to mimic talking points gleaned from the far-fringes of the Republican-right speaks not only to the general lack of knowledge that permeates the left, and the all-pervasive reach of right-wing framing, it demonstrates an unfortunate willingness on the part of some progressives to eagerly adopt views that are clearly the antithesis of true progressive thought.

For these students, opportunities that most children take for granted will never be available. They cannot attend college, or otherwise live up to their potential, because they lack the legal documentation to do so. Children that grew up on American soil, respected the laws of this country, and want nothing more than to be recognized for what they are; Americans …. despite the "sins of there fathers."

Even for those living in states that do allow them to complete their higher education, they leave universities after years of study and personal struggle only to face an uncertain future where advanced degrees are all but worthless without the legal documentation to join the workforce as productive members.

But it doesn't have to be this way

A simple little bill, written by Sen.Dick Durbin(D-Il), can change the situation.

At seven pages long it's got a few simple provisions that would allow thousands of kids who've worked hard and played by the rules to qualify for the exact same rights afforded every student in the nation. … the right to continue their educations and make a better life for themselves and there families.

Wingers call the legislation "just one more shamnsty" bill, because it allows those who have lived here most of there lives, and know no other home, a conditional reprieve from arrest and deportation. It allows them a chance to temporarily shrug off the yoke of their parents "misdeeds" and provides them an opportunity to prove themselves "worthy" of their adopted home.

The DREAM Act would provide nothing more than a path to legality for persons brought illegally to the United States by their parents as children, or whose parents attempted to immigrate legally but were then denied legality.

To qualify, the immigrant student would have to meet certain requirements:

• Proof of having arrived in the United States before reaching 16 years of age;



• Proof of residence in the United States for a least five (5) consecutive years since their date of arrival.



• Having graduated from an American High School, or obtained a GED.



• "Good moral character," essentially defined as the absence of a significant criminal record (or any drug charges whatsoever).

After meeting the above requirements students would be eligible to apply for a temporary six year "conditional" residence permit which would allow them to live legally in the United States. They could obtain driver's licenses, attend college as in-state residents where applicable, work legally (including obtaining a social security number), and apply for special travel documents which would allow for travel outside of the country for limited amounts of time.

During the six years of conditional status, the eligible immigrant would be required to either:

1. graduate from a two-year community college,


2. Complete at least two years towards a 4-year degree, or


3. serve two years in the U.S. military.

After the six year period, an immigrant who meets at least one of these three conditions would be eligible to apply for legal permanent resident (green card) status. During their temporary time, immigrants would not be eligible for federal higher education grants such as Pell grants, though they would be able to apply for student loans and work study.

If the immigrant does not meet the educational or military service requirement within the six year time period, their temporary residence would be revoked and he or she would be subject to deportation.

During the six years, the immigrant must not commit any crimes other than those considered non-drug related misdemeanors, regardless of whether or not they have already been approved for permanent status at the end of their six years.

Being convicted of a major crime or drug-related infraction would automatically remove the six year temporary residence status and he or she would be subject to deportation.

If the immigrant meets all of the conditions at the end of the 6-year conditional period, he or she would be granted a permanent green card with the same rights as a permanent resident alien, including the right to apply for U.S. citizenship.

It's a simple enough bill. No hundreds of pages of legal-speak and loopholes like most immigration related legislation.

The qualifications are simple and cut and dry, The "benefits" and obligations easily understood. You can read a copy here to see for yourself.

But there's not much to debate here.

For progressives this choice should be clear. One either sees these children raised and schooled in America as future Americans …or sees them as nothing more than the products of their parents "misdeeds" who must be punished the rest of their lives as such.

Sign petition demanding a pledge from Clinton, McCain, and Obama to enact the DREAM Act in their first 100 days

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Tancrazy call's for arrest of DREAM students at Capitol

It's not like Tam Tran and the other DREAM students haven't been through enough harassment already. After having her story published in a front page story in USA Today last week, the entire Tran family were arrested and detained by immigration official in what Representative Rep. Zoe Lofgren, (D-Calif), who chairs the House immigration subcommittee, characterized as a classic case of "witness intimidation."

Tran, whose parents escaped from Vietnam as "boatpeople" had testified earlier this year in front of Lofgren's committee on the plight of the thousands of immigrant children who were brought here by their undocumented parents and an early age, and now due to their undocumented status face uncertain futures.

It now appears that Colorado Congressman, and Republican Presidential long-shot, Tom Tancrazy wants to go after Tran again…along with a group of other DREAM Act students who were in Washington today at the invitation of Sen Dick Durbin (D-IL).

They were at the Capitol in support of the DREAM Act, a bill sponsored by Durbin, that would allow these young people, and thousands of others, the opportunity to continue on with their education and eventually earn the right to remain in this country legally.

Tancrazy, upon hearing of the planned arrival of the young people, immediately called the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and demand the arrest of the students.

Tancredo Asks Immigration Authorities to Detain Illegal Aliens Attending Durbin Event in U.S. Capitol

( WASHINGTON, D.C. ) – Representative Tom Tancredo (R-Littleton) today released a statement regarding an event Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) reportedly plans to hold in conjunction with discussion of the DREAM ACT – an event that will be attended by several illegal aliens.

“I call on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency to detain any illegal aliens at this press conference. Just because these illegal aliens are being used for political gain doesn’t mean they get immunity from the law.”

“If we can’t enforce our laws inside the building where American laws are made, where can we enforce them?”

Tancredo alerted the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency earlier today regarding Durbin’s 3:00 PM meeting.

Link

For Tom, resorting to intimidation, even of children, seems to be his preferred method to silence political opponents. Perhaps he should have demanded that ICE detain Sen. Durbin as well for even bringing these children to Washington in the first place….since that's how Mr. Tancrazy wants all those who show compassion and humanity to be dealt with anyway.

More about the DREAM Act:
here
here
here
here
here

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Reid spokeswoman: Senate takes up DREAM Act this week

According to the Congressional Quarterly, a spokeswomen for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced today that the Dream Act will be taken up following Tuesday's expected final vote on the 2008 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill (HR 3043).

Beyond the spending bill, it is unclear what legislation will round out next week’s floor schedule. The chamber could take up an immigration bill related to children (S 774), said Regan Lachapelle, a Reid spokeswoman.

Sponsored by Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., the bill would allow children of illegal immigrants who entered the United States before age 16 and lived here at least five years to gain conditional legal status. Under the bill, they could attain eventual citizenship if they attend college or enlist in the military for at least two years.

Ried, invoking Senate Rule XIV, has fast tracked the stand-alone bill, now numbered S.2205, which has languished in the Senate, in one form or another, for more than seven years now.

Needless to say this news has received an apoplectic response from the ranks of the nativist wingnut agitators. They will undoubtedly try to rally their minion of flying monkeys to flood the offices of every Senator in Washington over the next few days. Numbers USA and FAIR already have screaming headlines up their sites to exhort their followers to action.

To counter this effort, an even more overwhelming response must be initiated on behalf of the thousand of children whose only hope at achieving the American dream rests on the passage of this bill.

Each year approximately 2.8 million students graduate from US High Schools. Some will go on to college, join the military, or take other paths in life, hopefully all becoming productive members of society. But for approximately 65,000 of them, these opportunities will never be available. Not because they lack motivation, or achievement, but because of the undocumented status passed on to them by their parents.

Lacking legal status and social security numbers, these students, raised and schooled in the US, cannot apply to college, get jobs other than those at the bottom of the economic ladder, or otherwise follow their dreams. They grew up on American soil, worked hard and succeeded in spite of all odds, and want nothing more than to be recognized as individuals and not just the holders of a status they had no part in acquiring.

In Washington, politicians have debated the fate of these kids for more than seven years, holding lives and futures in their hands while vying for political advantage.

For these kids, and the thousand more who have already managed, through sheer force of will, to complete their higher education but now face a life of uncertainty and alienation, the DREAM Act is the only answer. Please call your Senators starting first thing Tuesday morning.

Here's a list of the most needed votes to make DREAM a reality.

This list of 19 fence sitters hold the hopes and dreams of thousands of hardworking, conscientious , kids in their hands. Kids who've done all that was asked of them, and now only want an opportunity to be the Americans they have always regarded themselves as.

-DUKE'S HOT 19 -

Murkowski (R-AK) 202-244-6665
Stevens (R-AK) 202224-3004
Pryor (D-AR) 202-224-2353
Martinez (R-FL) 202-224-3041
Inouye (D-HI) 202-224-3934
Brownback (R-KS) 202-224-6521
Landieu (D-LA) 202-224-5824
Collins (R-ME) 202-224-2523
Snowe (R-ME) 202-224-5344
Conrad (D-ND) 202-224-2043
Dorgan (D-ND) 202-224-2551
Dominici (R-NM) 202-224-6621
Voinovich (R-OH) 202-224-3353
Smith (R-OR) 202-224-3753
Graham (R-SC) 202-224-5972
Johnson (D-SD) 202-224-5842
Cornyn (R-TX) 202-224-2934
Warner(R-VA) 202-224-2023
Rockefeller (D-VA) 202-224-6472

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Welcome to the police state

Being of a certain age, much of my early worldview was shaped by childhood indoctrination about authoritarian states, I guess you could call me part of the "Duck and Cover" generation. Taught from an early age about the evils of communism and fascism, we were often told that one of the greatest differences between free societies like our own, and evil totalitarian states, was that here in America one was safe to voice political views or dissent without fear of government retribution. We had no Siberian exile, Gulags, or internment camps. The police did not burst into your home in the middle of the night and arrest you on trumped up charges simply for voicing opinions contradictory to government policy.

Yet given today's current situation, it is no longer quite so easy to draw such simplistic comparisons.

Under the current administration, no thinking person can honestly say that they don't feel the slow grip of government overreach extending into the fabric of everyday life. An uneasiness has settled across the nation, somehow instinctively knowing that we are teetering on a precipice from which at any moment we could be sent spiraling down into the depths of a fascist nightmare straight out of the a futuristic novel.

In past expansions of totalitarianism, there have usually been early warnings signs. Certain groups within society were often preliminary targets, subjected to the loss of rights or privileges, long before these rights are taken away from the society as a whole. Gypsies, Jews, Gays, Blacks ….. the list of society's "coal mine canaries" is long. Generally any minority population that could be marginalized would be the first to feel the stranglehold of the coming authoritarian state.

In the United States of the early 21st century, our "coal mine canaries" increasingly appear to be the foreign-born population of this nation. Whether they be Muslims from the Middle East or Africa or Latinos coming to seek jobs and a better life for their families, the government appears all to willing to treat the foreign-born population of this nation as a testing grounds for dismantling basic constitutional rights.

Warrant-less arrests, indefinite detentions, and lack of judicial review have become standard practices when dealing with the foreign-born population.

Now apparently we can add the use of law enforcement to quiet political dissent and free speech to that list.

Three days after a 24-year-old college graduate spoke out on her immigration plight in USA TODAY, U.S. agents arrested her family — including her father, a Vietnamese man who once was confined to a "re-education" camp in his home country for anti-communist activities.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., who chairs the House immigration subcommittee, on Tuesday accused federal officials of "witness intimidation" for staging a pre-dawn raid on the home of Tuan Ngoc Tran.

The agents arrested Tran, his wife and son, charging them with being fugitives from justice even though the family's attorneys said the Trans have been reporting to immigration officials annually to obtain work permits.

Lofgren said she believes the family was targeted because Tran's eldest child, Tam Tran, testified before Lofgren's panel earlier this spring in support of legislation that would help the children of illegal immigrants. On Oct. 8, Tam Tran was quoted in USA TODAY.
Her parents and brother were taken into custody Thursday. The family was released to house arrest after Lofgren intervened.

"Would she and her family have been arrested if she hadn't spoken out?" Lofgren said of Tran, who was not at home for the raid but has been asked to report to Immigration and Customs officials next week. "I don't think so."
link

The family has a long and complicated history. Tuan Ngoc Tran had faced persecution in his native Vietnam due to his anti-communist activates and managed to escape, becoming a "boat person" and eventually ending up in Germany after being rescued at sea. Both Tam Tran and her brother, Thien, 21 were then born in Germany. The family moved to the USA when Tran was 6 and began going through the process of applying for asylum.

When they lost their asylum case the Tran's volunteered to go back to Germany, but the German government refused to issue them travel documents. Although born in Germany, both Tan and Thien are not considered German citizens. Being technically "stateless", Tran told the Congressional subcommittee in May that she writes "the world" when asked her citizenship on official papers.

Unable to go back to either Vietnam or Germany, the Tran's were granted "withholding of removal" status by the government in 2001 that allowed them to stay until the government could figure out what to do with them. It required them to continue to report to immigration officials annually to obtain their work permits….just as they’ve done every year for the last 18 years. In the US today there are 324,000 people who have been ordered deported, yet have no country to accept them.

Kelly Nantel, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said the Tran family's arrest "absolutely, unequivocally had nothing to do" with Tam Tran's advocacy. She said ICE agents began working on the case Sept. 28 and will now try to send the family to Germany, where the Trans lived for several years before coming to the United States. In the past, the German government refused the family's permission to return; Nantel said the U.S. government will now make an official request

Link

The Tran's spend a night in custody before Representative Lofgren orchestrated their release, yet they were still issued ankle bracelets and told they had a 7 p.m. curfew. After more negotiations the bracelets were removed Tuesday.

Tam Tran, who graduated from UCLA in 2006, testified before the House immigration subcommittee in May on the DREAM Act, which would allow undocumented college students who have lived in the U.S. for five years to get legal status.
Link

Tam Tran's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International Law about the DREAM Act painted a vivid picture of the limbo that thousands of immigrant children find themselves in.

In December, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in American Literature and Culture with Latin, Departmental and College honors from UCLA. I thought, finally, after all these years of working multiple jobs and applying to countless scholarships all while taking more than 15 units every quarter, were going to pay off. And it did seem to be paying off. I found a job right away in my field as a full-time film editor and videographer with a documentary project at UCLA. I also applied to graduate school and was accepted to a Ph.D. program in Cultural Studies. I was awarded a department fellowship and the minority fellowship, but the challenges I faced as an undocumented college student began to surface once again.

Except the difference this time is I am 24 years old. I suppose this means I’m an adult. I also have a college degree. I guess this also means I’m an educated adult. But for a fact, I know that this means I do have responsibilities to the society I live in. I have the desire and also the ability and skills to help my community by being an academic researcher and socially conscious video documentarian, but I’ll have to wait before I can become an accountable member of society. I recently declined the offer to the Ph.D. program because even with these two fellowships, I don’t have the money to cover the $50,000 tuition and living expenses. I’ll have to wait before I can really grow up. But that’s okay, because when you’re in my situation you have to, or learn to, or are forced to make compromises.

With my adult job, I can save up for graduate school next year. Or at least that’s what I thought. Three days ago, the day before I boarded my flight to DC, I was informed that it would be my last day at work. My work permit has expired and I won’t be able to continue working until I receive a new one. Every year, I must apply for a renewal but never have I received it on time. This means every year around this month, I lose the job that I have. But that’s okay. Because I’ve been used to this—to losing things I have worked hard for. Not just this job but also the value of my college degree and the American identity I once possessed as a child.
…
But for some of my friends who could only be here today through a blurred face in a video, they have other fears too. They can’t be here because they are afraid of being deported from the country they grew up in and call home. There is also the fear of the unknown after graduation that is uniquely different from other students. Graduation for many of my friends isn’t a rite of passage to becoming a responsible adult. Rather, it is the last phase in which they can feel a sense of belonging as an American. As an American university student, my friends feel a part of an American community—that they are living out the American dream among their peers. But after graduation, they will be left behind by their American friends as my friends are without the prospect of obtaining a job that will utilize the degree they’ve earned; my friends will become just another undocumented immigrant.
Link

Somehow I think that Tam is not the only one who feels she is being stripped of "the American identity (she) once possessed as a child"….In a nation now so callous and small-minded, so willing to allow their rights and privileges to be thrown away, so willing to turn a deaf ear to the faint songs of the coal mine canaries around us as they warn of our own impeding disaster ….all of us lose a little more of our American identity each and every day.

For more on the DREAM Act and the plight thousands of immigrant children, brought here as children, who just want to be part of the American Dream:
Here
here
here
here
here

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Wingers start beating the DREAM Act war drums

Not content with their minor victory in California - where the onetime "illegal alien" Governator once again pulled up the drawbridge behind him, denying thousands of children of fellow immigrants the ability to follow their American dream - the wingnut brigades are once again beginning to beat their war drums over the impending federal DREAM Act legislation.

While there has been no confirmed schedule for the Senate to take up Sen Dick Durbin's Dream Act legislation that would allow millions of students, brought here as children by undocumented parents, the ability to earn legal status through attending college or serving in the military, wingnut groups like NumbersUSA and the John Birch Society have claimed that DREAM could come to the floor any day now.

Now, I usually take what these nutcases say with the same skepticism I reserve for carnival fortune tellers and tent-show faithhealers ….but just to be safe, we should keep our eyes and ears open.

You can read a copy of the most current version of Durbin's bill, SA 2919 here

As to the vote numbers right now:

NumbersUSA claims they have 21 confirmed against the amendment:
Listed Here

By my count we have somewhere around 45 confirmed yes votes so far.

With that said, here's my hot-list of those undecided Senators that most need to be contacted. There will a National Call-In Day action for DREAM when the bill comes up for consideration... I'll be posting details shortly.

-DUKE'S HOT 19 -

Murkowski (R-AK) 202-244-6665
Stevens (R-AK) 202224-3004
Pryor (D-AR) 202-224-2353
Martinez (R-FL) 202-224-3041
Inouye (D-HI) 202-224-3934
Brownback (R-KS) 202-224-6521
Landieu (D-LA) 202-224-5824
Collins (R-ME) 202-224-2523
Snowe (R-ME) 202-224-5344
Conrad (D-ND) 202-224-2043
Dorgan (D-ND) 202-224-2551
Dominici (R-NM) 202-224-6621
Voinovich (R-OH) 202-224-3353
Smith (R-OR) 202-224-3753
Graham (R-SC) 202-224-5972
Johnson (D-SD) 202-224-5842
Cornyn (R-TX) 202-224-2934
Warner(R-VA) 202-224-2023
Rockefeller (D-VA) 202-224-6472

And just in case you forgot what this fight is really all about …..take a minute to listen to the story of yet another DREAM Act student:

Link to Video

More about the DREAM Act:
here
here
here
here

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Stuck in Limbo

The debate about the Dream Act often concentrates on the 65,000 high school graduates each year who are unable to follow their dream of acquiring a higher education due to the undocumented status passed on to them by their parents.

But there is another group of young people, who have worked hard and proven themselves, who also need the passage of the Dream Act...perhaps even more.

These are the young people who have managed against all odds to complete their higher educations. Working low paying jobs just to make ends meet and pay their own college costs, many of these students, once completing their educations, face an uncertain future where the skills and knowledge they have worked so hard to acquire cannot be put to use.

Without proper documentation and social security numbers they are unable to move from the "underground economy" of their parents world into the mainstream workforce that their educations give them the ability to participate in.

Without the Dream Act these young people will forever be stuck in limbo, somewhere between the undocumented world of their parents, and their dreams of a bright future.

This is the second in a series of videos that will be posted featuring the voices or stories of those who have waited so long for the passage of the Dream Act.

Link to video


Learn more about the DREAM ACT

More on the Dream Act from MigraMatters

Contact your Senators and tell them to give these young people the opportunity they deserve by supporting the DREAM Act.

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We Have a Dream

This is the first in a series of videos that will be posted here featuring the voices and stories of those most effected by the DREAM Act.

The bill, which has been stalled in Congress for more than 4 years, would give undocumented kids, who were brought here as children and have been raised and educated in the US, the tools they need to fulfill the American dream. It would allow them to further their educations, gain meaningful and productive employment, and through their hard work and commitment, eventually earn the right to become full members society, free of the undocumented status passed on to them by their parents.

Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, has promised that in the next few weeks the bill will be taken up for consideration one more time. Please contact your Senators today and let them know that the children have waited long enough, worked hard enough, and followed the rules long enough ...they've earned the opportunity to now follow their dreams.


Learn more about the DREAM ACT

More on the Dream Act from MigraMatters

Contact your Senators and tell them to give these children the opportunity they deserve by supporting the DREAM Act.

YouTube Link

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ACTION ALERT: DREAM Act Could Come Up Thursday

There's a good chance the DREAM Act amendment (now numbered SA 2919) to the Defense Department authorization bill for fiscal year 2008 (HR 1585) will be introduced on the Senate floor Thursday during debate.

If the amendment gets attached to this "must pass' appropriations bill it is guaranteed to go through.

But we must make sure it passes the floor vote and becomes part of the legislation.

The wingnuts are out in force once again trying to kill this amendment.

They have mobilized their army of flying monkeys and instructed them to relentlessly continue to contact the Senate through calls, faxes (supplied free via Numbers USA) and e-mail.

During the last round of Immigration Reform legislation, the wingnuts flooded the Senate with over a million faxes from Numbers USA alone … not to mention the millions of phone calls and e-mails sent by flying monkeys mobilized by wingnut talk radio and TV personalities .

And they are trying to do it again

DON'T ALLOW THE FLYING MONKEYS TO KILL THE DREAM ACT


Starting 9 AM Thursday morning start calling, faxing and e-mailing.

CALL AS MANY OF THE 80 SENATORS WHO HAVEN'T OFFICIALLY COME OUT AGAINST THIS AMENDMENT AS POSSIBLE


20 Senators have come out officially opposing this amendment so far…so don't any waste time on them if you're only going to make a few calls.

Alabama: Sessions; Shelby
Georgia: Chambliss; Isakson
Kansas: Roberts
Kentucky: Bunning; McConnell
Louisiana: Vitter
Mississippi: Lott
Missouri: Bond
North Carolina: Burr; Dole
Oklahoma: Coburn; Inhofe
South Carolina: DeMint; Graham
South Dakota: Thune
Tennessee: Alexander; Corker
Wyoming: Enzi


Here's a narrower list of swing votes who could vote for the amendment, but easily go the other way under wingnut pressure:

Sen. Baucus (D–MT) (202) 224–265
Sen. Hatch (R–UT) (202) 224–5251
Sen. Graham (R–SC) (202) 224–5972
Sen. Cornyn (R–TX) (202) 224–2934
Sen. Coleman (R–MN) (202) 224–5641
Sen. Bennett (R–UT) (202) 224–5444
Sen. Gregg (R–NH) (202) 224–3324
Sen. Snowe (R–ME) (202) 224–5344
Sen. Specter (R–PA) (202) 224–4254
Sen. Domenici (R–NM) (202) 224–6621
Sen. Ensign (R–NV) (202) 224–6244
Sen. Hutchison (R–TX) (202) 224–5922
Sen. Murkowski (R–AK) (202) 224–6665
Sen. Sanders (I–VT) (202) 224–5141
Sen. Smith (R–OR) (202) 224–3753
Sen. Stevens (R–AK) (202) 224–3004
Sen. Voinovich (R–OH) (202) 224–3353
Sen. Warner (R–VA) (202) 224–2023

The wingers are concentrating on the following Senators who they think they will be able to sway, some are clearly winger-leaning...some are not, but have made the winger "hot list" anyway. These Senators are targeted for massive winger effort :

Alaska: Murkowski, Stevens
Arkansas: Pryor
Colorado: Allard
Florida: Martinez
Idaho: Crapo
Indiana: Bayh
Iowa: Grassley, Harkin
Kansas: Brownback
Louisiana: Landrieu
Maine: Collins
Michigan: Stabenow
Minnesota: Coleman
Mississippi: Cochran
Missouri: McCaskill
Montana: Baucus, Tester
Nebraska: Nelson (Ben)
Nevada: Ensign
New Hampshire: Sununu
New Mexico: Bingaman, Domenici
North Dakota: Dorgan
Ohio: Brown, Voinovich
Oregon: Smith
South Dakota: Johnson
Texas: Cornyn; Hutchison
Utah: Hatch
Vermont: Sanders
Virginia: Warner, Webb
West Virginia: Byrd, Rockefeller
Wyoming: Barrasso

The original, stand alone, bill (s.774)introduced last spring by Dick Durbin had 25 co-sponsors(+), but only 5 of those co-sponsors have pledged guaranteed support(*) so far for the new amendment. Additionally Salazar[CO] and Brown[OH] have pledged support(*).

Those who haven't guaranteed support need to be contacted also. Don't assume any vote is "in the bag" until the actual vote occurs.

Sen Hagel, Chuck [NE]+
202-224-4224
Sen Lugar, Richard G. [IN]+*
202-224-4814
Sen Leahy, Patrick J. [VT]+
202-224-4242
Sen Obama, Barack [IL]+
202-224-2854
Sen Lieberman, Joseph I. [CT]+
202-224-4041
Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA]+*
202-224-3841
Sen Kerry, John F. [MA]+
202-224-2742
Sen Feingold, Russell D. [WI]+
202-224-5323
Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY]+
202-224-4451
Sen Bayh, Evan [IN]+
202-224-5623
Sen Menendez, Robert [NJ]+
202-224-4744
Sen Murray, Patty [WA]+
202-224-2621
Sen Boxer, Barbara [CA]+
202-224-3553
Sen Cantwell, Maria [WA]+
202-224-3441
Sen Salazar, Ken [CO]*
202-224-5852
Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT]+
202-224-2823
Sen Bill Nelson [FL]+*
(202) 224-5274
Sen Harry Reid [NV]+*
202- 224-3542
Sen Richard Durbin [IL]+*
202- 224-2152
Sen. Sherrod Brown [OH]*
202-224-2315
Sen Jeff Bingaman[NM]+*
202-224-5521
Sen. Joseph Biden[DE]+
202-224-5042
Sen Larry Craig[ID]+
202-224-2752
Sen Mike Crapo[ID]+
202-224-6142
Sem Tom Harkin[IA]+
202-224-3254
Sen Edward Kennedy[MA]+
202-224-4543
Sen John McCain[AZ]+
202-224-2235
Sen Sheldon Whitehouse[RI]+
202-224-2921

HERE'S A COMPLETE LIST OF THE ENTIRE SENATE WITH PHONE, FAX, AND WEBSITE INFORMATION

PLEASE CONTACT AS MANY SENATORS WHO HAVE NOT COMMITTED AGAINST THIS AMENDMENT AS POSSIBLE

DON’T LIMIT CALLS TO JUST YOUR OWN SENATORS

TRY TO FAX FIRST – UNTIL MACHINES RUN OUT OF PAPER

THEN CALL – IF LINES ARE BUSY, MOVE ON AND CALL SOMEONE ELSE, THEN GO BACK

THEN GO TO WEBSITES AND SEND E-MAILS

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DREAM Act Resurrected: Time to Take Action.

One would think that a bill that would allow 60,000 high school graduates a year the opportunity to pursue higher education could garner pretty widespread support in Washington, particularly given our President's commitment to educational excellence and leaving no child behind.

And if these graduates came from a segment of society which the right-wing continually claims under-performs academically and eventually becomes a burden on society, one would think winger politicians would be falling over themselves to support legislation that would enable these ethnic scholars to become more productive members of society, even if to only supply more to the tax base.

OK .. just kidding .

We all know that wingers see 60,000 immigrant kids yearning for an education and say:

"No way, your American dream ends right here, we don't care that you were raised and schooled in this country, we don't care that despite all odds, you've succeeded, we don't care that you're just as 'American' as the next kid."

…all they see are "illegal aliens"

Each year approximately 2.8 million students graduate from United States High Schools. Some of them will go on to college, join the military, or take other paths in life, hopefully all becoming productive members of society, But for approximately 60,000 of them these opportunities will never be available , not because they lack motivation, or achievement, but because of the status passed on to them by their parents. They cannot attend college, or otherwise live a full lifes. Children that grew up on American soil, respected the laws of this country, and want nothing more than to be recognized for what they are, Americans….despite the "sins of there fathers."

But it doesn't have to be this way

A simple little bill, written by Sen.Dick Durbin(D-Il), can change the situation.

At seven pages long it's got a few simple provisions that would allow thousands of kids who've worked hard and played by the rules to qualify for the exact same rights afforded every student in the nation. … the right to continue their educations and make a better life for themselves and there families.

Wingers call the legislation "just one more shamnsty" bill, because it allows those who have lived here most of there lives, and know no other home, a conditional reprieve from arrest and deportation. It allows them a chance to temporarily shrug off the yoke of their parents "misdeeds" and provides them an opportunity to prove themselves "worthy" of their adopted home.

The DREAM Act would provide a path to legality for persons brought illegally to the United States by their parents as children, or whose parents attempted to immigrate legally but were then denied legality.

To qualify, the immigrant student would have to meet certain requirements:

• Proof of having arrived in the United States before reaching 16 years of age;



• Proof of residence in the United States for a least five (5) consecutive years since their date of arrival.



• Having graduated from an American High School, or obtained a GED.



• "Good moral character," essentially defined as the absence of a significant criminal record (or any drug charges whatsoever).

After meeting the above requirements students would be eligible to apply for a temporary six year "conditional" residence permit which would allow them to live legally in the United States, obtain driver's licenses, attend college as in-state residents, work legally (including obtaining a social security number), and apply for special travel documents which would allow for travel outside of the country for limited amounts of time.

During the six years of conditional status, the eligible immigrant would be required to either:

1. graduate from a two-year community college,


2. Complete at least two years towards a 4-year degree, or


3. serve two years in the U.S. military.

After the six year period, an immigrant who meets at least one of these three conditions would be eligible to apply for legal permanent resident (green card) status. During their temporary time, immigrants would not be eligible for federal higher education grants such as Pell grants, though they would be able to apply for student loans and work study.

If the immigrant does not meet the educational or military service requirement within the six year time period, their temporary residence would be revoked and he or she would be subject to deportation.

During the six years, the immigrant must not commit any crimes other than those considered non-drug related misdemeanors, regardless of whether or not they have already been approved for permanent status at the end of their six years.

Being convicted of a major crime or drug-related infraction would automatically remove the six year temporary residence status and he or she would be subject to deportation.

If the immigrant meets all of the conditions at the end of the 6-year conditional period, he or she would be granted a permanent green card with the same rights as a permanent resident alien, including the right to apply for U.S. citizenship.

It's a simple enough bill. No hundreds of pages of legal-speak and loopholes like most immigration related legislation.

The qualifications are simple and cut and dry, The "benefits" and obligations easily understood. You can read a copy here to see for yourself.

Wingers are already gearing up to fight this bill. Their spin machine of obfuscating rhetoric is ready to go. Numbers USA has already sent out hundreds of thousands of action alerts to oppose the legislation. Michele Malkin, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Relly and Lou Dobbs are already spreading their foul bile and propaganda.

But there's not much to debate here.

One either sees these children raised and schooled in America as future Americans …or sees them as nothing more than the products of their parents "misdeeds" who must be punished the rest of their lives as such.

Call your Senators Now (call between 9am and 5 pm)

Or e-mail your Senator

Better yet, Fax you Senator now

THE SWING VOTE LIST

The following Senators have not yet committed on the DREAM Act

If any of these are your Senators, contact them through the direct channels provided above.

If not, phone them by contacting the Senate switchboard at 202-224-3121


Alabama: Shelby
Alaska: Murkowski, Stevens
Arkansas: Pryor
Colorado: Allard
Georgia: Chambliss, Isakson
Idaho: Crapo
Indiana: Bayh
Iowa: Grassley, Harkin
Kansas: Brownback,Roberts
Kentucky: McConnell
Louisiana: Landrieu
Maine: Collins
Michigan: Stabenow
Minnesota: Coleman
Mississippi: Cochran
Missouri: Bond, McCaskill
Montana: Baucus, Tester
Nebraska: Nelson (Ben)
Nevada: Ensign
New Hampshire: Sununu
New Mexico: Bingaman, Domenici
North Carolina: Burr, Dole
North Dakota: Dorgan
Ohio: Brown, Voinovich
Oklahoma: Coburn
Oregon: Smith
South Carolina: DeMint
South Dakota: *Johnson, Thune
Tennessee: Alexander, Corker
Texas: Cornyn, Hutchison
Utah: Hatch
Vermont: Sanders
Virginia: Warner, Webb
West Virginia: Byrd, Rockefeller
Wyoming: Enzi, Barrasso

and let them know;
you support the children,
you support education,
you support fairness,
you support opportunity,
you support the Dream Act.

TALKING POINTS
1) SUPPORT the Durbin DREAM Act Amendment to the Defense Authorization (H.R. 1585)

2) Each year, thousands of immigrants who graduate from high school and who have grown up in the United States are unable to pursue their dreams of going to college because they lack legal immigration status.

3) This amendment would provide deserving undocumented immigrant students with an opportunity to apply for legal status and to continue their education.

4) Children who were not old enough to make their own decisions when entering the United States should not be held responsible for their parents' actions. They should be given an opportunity to go earn legal status and contribute to this country.

5) Providing these children with the opportunity to come out of the shadows and maximize their potential will strengthen the nation's economic foundation and remedy a clear injustice in our immigration system.

For more information see: National Immigration Law Council

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