Thread: Battle over immigration law heats up in White Plains, WA

Battle over immigration law heats up in White Plains, Washington
By Robert Marchant • rmarchan@lohud.com • June 7, 2009


WHITE PLAINS - As a fight over immigration law looms in the nation's capital, about 200 marchers chanted slogans in Spanish and English, waved banners and collected names on a petition in downtown White Plains yesterday to spell out their support for proposed legislation.

Young people and college students made up most of the crowd of local supporters for the the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors, or DREAM, Act, a set of proposed laws that would establish a legal procedure for undocumented students to gain legal status and pursue their education. The bill, which was defeated in a previous 2007 version, has been reintroduced in Congress and could prove to be contentious again, as opponents are also gearing up for the fight.

Advocates who took to the streets yesterday said the legislation would allow longtime residents of the U.S. to achieve their potential through education.

"It's a right for any human being to get an education," said Juan Bedoya, 29, a U.S. Navy veteran and White Plains High School graduate now studying at Purchase College.

He came to this country from Colombia at the age of 18. Students who have lived in the U.S. for years though lacking citizenship are in a tough spot, he said.

"They've Americanized themselves, and some of them are at the top of their class, but they can't get loans or scholarships," Bedoya said. "If they go to college, it will benefit society."

The DREAM Act would allow students whose parents came here illegally before they turned 16 to acquire citizenship rights and educational resources.

Indhira Arizmendi, 23, of White Plains said she knew several bright, ambitious young people who could not pursue university education or professional careers because they are ineligible for loans and grants that citizens can obtain.

"I know a good handful who are in that boat," she said. "They're working construction or landscaping or baby-sitting, anything to make ends meet. I had a friend who wanted to teach - couldn't do it."

Arizmendi, whose family came from Mexico when she was a young child, said, "It really limits what you can do."

Arizmendi said she plans to attend law school in the fall.

The marchers carried signs reading "Legalization Not Criminalization" and "Together We Are America." The orderly march covered several blocks in the downtown district, with a light police presence accompanying it.

DREAM Act supporters are encountering foes, both locally and in Washington.

A Mount Vernon man walking by the rally stated his opposition.

"I think they should crack down on illegal immigration and enforce the laws on the books," said Joshua Askew, who recently lost his job in retail sales.

As a few onlookers gave him puzzled but polite looks, Askew said, "Illegal immigration has a big impact on the labor market and, for me, this is about employment. Illegal immigrant rights? I don't understand it. It doesn't seem fair."

In Washington, Howard Beck, the executive director of Numbers USA, an organization looking to reduce levels of immigration, is critical of the DREAM Act.

He acknowledged there were "compelling stories" behind the proposed law, "and this is where political compromise gets involved."

But, his organization says, the proposed law is "overly broad" and too prone to fraud. Beck said legal improvements for undocumented immigrants should be coupled with more enforcement in the workplace and at the borders.

Local organizers, including El Centro Hispanico and the Hudson Valley Community Coalition, are looking to send letters to congressional delegates, set up call centers and hold town hall-style meetings on the DREAM Act in coming months.Arizmendi, whose family came from Mexico when she was a young child, said, "It really limits what you can do."

Arizmendi said she plans to attend law school in the fall.

The marchers carried signs reading "Legalization Not Criminalization" and "Together We Are America." The orderly march covered several blocks in the downtown district, with a light police presence accompanying it.

DREAM Act supporters are encountering foes, both locally and in Washington.

A Mount Vernon man walking by the rally stated his opposition.

"I think they should crack down on illegal immigration and enforce the laws on the books," said Joshua Askew, who recently lost his job in retail sales.

As a few onlookers gave him puzzled but polite looks, Askew said, "Illegal immigration has a big impact on the labor market and, for me, this is about employment. Illegal immigrant rights? I don't understand it. It doesn't seem fair."

In Washington, Howard Beck, the executive director of Numbers USA, an organization looking to reduce levels of immigration, is critical of the DREAM Act.

He acknowledged there were "compelling stories" behind the proposed law, "and this is where political compromise gets involved."

But, his organization says, the proposed law is "overly broad" and too prone to fraud. Beck said legal improvements for undocumented immigrants should be coupled with more enforcement in the workplace and at the borders.

Local organizers, including El Centro Hispanico and the Hudson Valley Community Coalition, are looking to send letters to congressional delegates, set up call centers and hold town hall-style meetings on the DREAM Act in coming months.

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... s=d&page=1

"It's a right for any human being to get an education," said Juan Bedoya, 29, a U.S. Navy veteran and White Plains High School graduate now studying at Purchase College.

No, Juan, it's not a right. It's a privilege.

The illegals have a lot of nerve...........they come here illegally and insist that we (the American tax payers) pay for them and their anchor's and familes for the rest of their lives. The reality is that they deserve to deported and never have the right to come back into our country, period.

Found this website, which can shed some light on what is happening with the opposition:

Like I have been saying many, many times in this forum and others ....these illegal alien students are in no way being denied an opportunity for higher education....they all have every right and opportunity to go to college in their home countries.....and, in most instances for a very, small, small fraction of what it costs to go to college here in the U.S. (including low-cost community colleges). In fact, Mexican illegal alien students have the right and opportunity to go to college for FREE at Mexico's National Autonomus University system - it's free for ALL Mexican nationals. There is no justification for the illegal alien students from Mexico to be demanding ANYTHING here in the U.S. ...they just end up looking like a bunch of whining, ingrate brats. Their demands for a waiver of admission and legal requirements for international students AND access to public education benefits reserved for legal residents is a slap in the face to all law-abiding U.S. citizen students and especially those foreign nationals who played by the rules to obtain student visas and pay their own way through college.

It's like a teen brat being offered a free GM car from their family...but snubs their nose and demands that the NEIGHBORS pay for a Porsche.

Very good info. legalatina. Thank You.

Vortex, thank you for the link, it is very informative.

they are ineligible for loans and grants that citizens can obtain

You know what this says to me? I'm an illegal alien and I'm hear to take your money and money away from your children.

Dixie

Added to Home PAge
http://www.alipac.us/article4279.html

They just can not stand the fact they do not have the same rights and privileges as American citizens...what the heck good is citizenship if you have no privileges, why bother?