Thread: Democrats Push DREAM Act; Critics Call It Amnesty

Democrats Push DREAM Act; Critics Call It Amnesty

by Brian Naylor

December 6, 2010

Alex Brandon/AP

Congress is expected to take up legislation this week that would give some people who are in the country illegally a path to citizenship. The DREAM Act is aimed at illegal immigrants brought here as children by their parents.

They would qualify for legal residency if they complete two years of college or two years of military service. But critics say it's still amnesty, and the bill faces long odds in the Senate.

Cesar Vargas, a third-year law student in New York, is one of some 2 million young people who would qualify for legal residency under the DREAM Act. He was brought to the U.S. from Mexico by his parents at age 5.

Vargas graduated from high school with honors and wants to join the armed forces — to give back, he says, to his country, the United States.

"I also plan to join the military and join the Marine Corps, either as a JAG officer in the Judge Advocate Corps or [as an] intelligence officer, so it's definitely giving back to my country. That's my core value, and that's what ... the DREAM Act will do," Vargas says.

'The Best And The Brightest'

To qualify, young people would have to have entered the country by age 16, pass a background check, graduate from high school, and attend college for two years or join the armed forces.

"These are the best and the brightest of the Latino immigrant community and other ethnic communities," says Frank Sharry, director of America's Voice, which favors the bill. "All they want to do is to live the American dream, so that they can contribute to a nation that they call home."

The measure has the support of Democratic congressional leaders, as well as the Obama administration. In a conference call with reporters last week, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said her agency should spend its resources tracking down "criminal aliens" — threats to public safety and national security.

"What doesn't make as much sense is the idea of spending our enforcement resources to prosecute young people who have no criminal records, who were brought here through no fault of their own, so they have no individual culpability, and who now want to go to college or serve in our armed forces," she said.

A Priority For Democrats

Supporters of the DREAM Act are well-organized. They have been staging protests in congressional offices, holding candlelight vigils and running campaign-style ads.

One airing in Massachusetts targets Republican Sen. Scott Brown. "The military, small businesses and 66 percent of voters support the DREAM Act," it says. "Sen. Brown, where do you stand?"

But Brown is unconvinced. He's released a statement calling the DREAM Act a form of amnesty.

The measure is a political priority for Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid promised to bring the DREAM Act up for a vote during his successful re-election campaign — in which support from Latinos played a key role.

"This is a last-ditch kind of political stunt," says Roy Beck, the director of NumbersUSA, which opposes the bill. "[House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and Reid have made some promises to some groups; they've got everything all stirred up. There going to cause an incredible amount of disappointment among a lot of students around the country on something that ... never had a chance."

'An Amnesty'

Opponents say the DREAM Act is likely to cost some $6 billion a year — a charge backers say doesn't add up — and that it will mean fewer jobs for U.S.-born workers.

"American people did not vote for an amnesty in this past election," says Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama. "And it will be resisted with every strength and every ability that I have to do so. Because this is a lame-duck Congress, it will not pass next year, and it's not going to pass this year if I have anything to do about it."

And Sessions may well have his way. It appears unlikely the DREAM Act has enough votes in the Senate to win approval in the remaining days of this Congress.

www.npr.org

But Brown is unconvinced. He's released a statement calling the DREAM Act a form of amnesty.

It is AMNESTY any way you try to slice it or cover it up... it still stinks!

Thank God for the new guys coming in... I hope and pray they do not let us down. I am sooooo looking forward to January. Until then call, call, call... pray and trust God ... I have been praying harder and more than I have in a long time. With God nothing is impossible! We have to trust him not to let this pass!

You don't give a child everything he wants because he/she throws a fit or they will pay, you will pay and the people they come in contact with thru daily living will pay with their bad attitude. I'm tired of our government catering to these illegal aliens. JUST SAY NO!!!!!!! *Isn't that what Super Nanny says... and follow through!!!!!!!

By appearing to bail out wall street and shoving comprehensive health care down peoples throats when what they really cared about was jobs and keeping a roof over their heads, the Demos engineered their own defeat in Congress. If they don't start listening to ordinary people, they'll send 'Bama down to defeat as well.

Friends of ALIPAC,

We have some terrible news to report. According to our friends at NumbersUSA, the illegal aliens and their supporters are beating us with more calls arriving in support of Amnesty than opposed to Amnesty with your lawmakers.

They are even forming new phone banks in expectation of the first votes for Dream Act Amnesty now scheduled for WEDNESDAY Dec. 8!

While several scientific polls show we Americans oppose Dream Act Amnesty 59% to 22%, the well planned and well financed efforts of the Open Borders Lobby are winning in DC.

To turn thing around we need you to: A. Mobilize and respond to our requests for help. B. Mobilize and organize others around our requests for help. (Be the media!) C. Combine your time and funds to help us get more lawmakers and media sources opposing Dream Amnesty ASAP!

Step 1: Please vote in this online poll at CBS where the illegals are winning at the time of this email
Vote NO on Amnesty
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162- ... 03544.html


Step 2: Please call the 73 targeted offices in the US Congress that are coded YES or UNKNOWN on Dream Act Amnesty. Do your best to get a NO out of these offices. Please report any new YES or NO on Amnesty reports to us so we can adjust our tracking list. Please craft your own message.

Yes, I will not let the illegals win against Americans in DC and I am on the phones now at this link....
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-219949.html


Let's flood those 73 Democratic offices in Congress with calls and emails fast and furious today (Monday)! Let's grow our "No On Amnesty" list quickly!


The ALIPAC Team
www.alipac.us