Thread: Activists carol for DREAM Target Christian Lawmakers

Activists carol for DREAM
Christian lawmakers are the new target for immigrant rights groups.
Young immigrants pushing for the DREAM Act are doubling their efforts even as Capitol Hill focuses on tax issues.

This week's actions, from Christmas caroling to a "March of Jericho," have a Christian theme aimed at conservative lawmakers.

The activists, many of whom stand to benefit from the immigration bill, kicked the week off by singing politically charged carols at the National Christmas Tree. The tree that faces the White House went up last week.

"Oh senators, oh senators, please pass the DREAM Act now," the carolers belted to the tune of "O Christmas Tree."

Today, the caroling continues in Senate buildings.

The United We Dream coalition members have also organized what they are calling a "March of Jericho." They will march around the Capitol at noontime for seven days "to bring down the wall of Senate obstruction about [the] DREAM Act."

Finally, there is a Capitol Hill vigil in the works for this evening.

The DREAM Act, which passed in the House last week, would pave a path to legalization for illegal immigrants who go to college or join the military.

-- Ambreen Ali, Congress.org

http://www.congress.org/news/2010/12/13 ... _for_dream

Activists put faith in immigration bill
Religious leaders use moral arguments to sway Congress on DREAM Act.
By Ambreen Ali

Religious leaders literally rallied around immigrant activists this week as they tried to use faith to sway Congress on a contentious bill.

Nearly two-dozen evangelicals Christians, Muslims, Jews, and Catholics huddled around kneeling "dreamers"—so called after the bill they are trying to pass—outside the Capitol Tuesday to pray.

"The message is, if the government wants to come for these kids, they will have to go through us first,'" Jim Wallis, president of the Christian action group Sojourners, said.

As the lame duck session winds down, immigrant rights activists have been searching for ways to sell the DREAM Act to skeptical senators. The House has already passed the measure that would give immigrants a path to legalization through college or military service.

After trying to pitch the bill as a cost saver last week, dreamers have turned to faith-based arguments. On Sunday evening, they kicked the effort off by caroling around the national Christmas tree.

Religious leaders joined them for a "March of Jericho" around the Senate buildings Tuesday and used arguments about family values, forgiveness, and helping strangers to support the bill. They planned to visit lawmakers' offices after the action.

"This is one of those issues that has a moral aspect to it," said Peg Chemberlin, president of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A."We've got young people who are bright and hardworking. They have learned English and are ready to follow the American dream. How can we stand in the way of that?"

Chemberlin and others in the coalition spearheaded by Faith in Public Life say they hope such moral arguments will overcome the political barriers that stand in the bill's way.

"We have a coalition of unusual suspects … that breaks down some of the left and right categories that we often operate under," Troy Jackson of Cincinnati's University Christian Church said.

Before the Capitol Hill action, Jackson addressed dozens of young activists at a nearby church and said that lawmakers still had time to change their minds.

"As evangelicals, we believe conversion is possible," he said.

But it's unclear whether activists can convert enough senators to back the bill in the lame duck.

Though the DREAM Act enjoys bipartisan support, all 42 Senate Republicans have vowed to block lame duck legislation until the tax debate currently underway is resolved.

"We're trying everything we can," said Frank Sherry, who founded the immigration advocacy group, America's Voice.

Groups that oppose the DREAM Act also mobilized this week, calling on conservative media to take on the issue. Activists on that side have argued that the bill will lead to amnesty for not just young immigrants, but their families as well.

"Americans need to start flooding the phone lines of talk radio shows as well as the U.S. Senate to get the ball rolling immediately or everyone will be crying after the fact," William Gheen, president of ALIPAC, said. The group favors reduced immigration.

Tea partyers have also issued calls to action against the bill, although they focused on tax issues this week.

But Sherry said he believes the broad coalition of faith and Hispanic leaders could outweigh the opposition.

"I honestly think that the more time things like this faith outpouring happen, the senators know this is going to be a vote that's going to stay with them the rest of their political lives," he said.

Ambreen Ali writes for Congress.org.

http://www.congress.org/news/2010/12/14 ... ation_bill

This makes me so mad. As American students finish their finals and head home for the holidays illegals are marching on their Capitol. Who the h*** do they think they are and why is this being tolerated?

I know from talking to a lot of college kids they have been so busy studying they don't even have time to watch the news.