Thread: Reid's Intent to Use Defense Bill to Pass DREAM Act Amnesty

Reid's Intent to Use Defense Bill to Pass DREAM Act Amnesty Denounced
as Cynical and Divisive by FAIR

PR Newswire
September 14, 2010 Tuesday
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) today announced that he intends to attach a massive illegal alien amnesty provision to the Defense Authorization bill (Military Spending Bill) scheduled to be considered by the Senate next week.

The DREAM Act would reward illegal aliens with amnesty and would allow them to benefit from taxpayer-funded college tuition and other benefits.

The DREAM Act would also reverse a 1996 law that bars states from offering in-state tuition benefits to illegal aliens and would make all illegal aliens eligible for taxpayer subsidized tuition at public colleges and universities.

The DREAM Act, which was first introduced in 2000, has consistently been opposed by the American people and has lacked political support to pass as a free-standing measure.

The timing of Reid's announcement therefore appears to be entirely the result of Sen. Reid's own re-election efforts in Nevada and his belief that passage of the DREAM Act amnesty will appeal to Hispanic voters thus gaining him advantage, says the Federation for American Immigration Reform.

It also comes at a time when nearly every state university system is facing very severe fiscal constraints, raising tuitions, and slashing programs and admissions.

Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), which has consistently opposed the DREAM Act amnesty on its merits, responded sharply to Sen. Reid's announcement that he would use the Defense Authorization bill as a vehicle to reward illegal aliens.

"At a time when our country is at war and our troops are fighting and dying in Afghanistan, the use of a bill to authorize funding for our military to benefit illegal aliens exemplifies why the American public have grown contemptuous of the way today's Washington congress operates," stated Dan Stein, president of FAIR.

Passage of the DREAM Act will further greatly harm law-abiding middle class families by diverting scarce educational resources to the children of illegal aliens.

"For many middle class families, the only option for ensuring their kids get the education they will need to compete in the 21st century economy are public colleges and universities."

"The DREAM Act would only result in even more seats being filled by illegal aliens and those who are legalized by this bill."

"Middle class U.S. workers and middle class taxpayers are already bearing a $113 billion a year burden for their government's refusal to protect them against mass illegal immigration," Stein said.

"Now Sen. Reid is asking them to dig even deeper into their pockets and sacrifice their own children's educational opportunities because Reid believes it will help his own political prospects.

It is a move that is cynical, deeply troubling and very divisive."

Proponents of the DREAM Act argue that the bill is a compassionate response to the circumstances of "kids" who were brought to this country illegally by their parents.

In reality, it would apply to illegal aliens up to the age of 35.

The act also rewards their parents who violated immigration laws by giving their children a benefit as a direct result of their illegal actions.

The DREAM Act would also encourage more illegal chain immigration in the future.

"Approval of the DREAM Act would send a clear message to parents that violating U.S. immigration laws will result in eventual citizenship and access to expensive taxpayer financed benefits for their kids."

"Why wouldn't millions more people decide to break our laws?" asked Stein.

"Rewarding people who break our laws is wrong. Rewarding them at the expense of struggling American workers and students is unfair."

"Linking that reward to funding for the people who are defending our nation is the epitome of political cynicism."

http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/En ... 66&start=1

Harry Reid Adds Immigration Measure to Defense Bill
5 hours ago


Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has decided to add language to the Defense authorization bill that would give young illegal immigrants a path to citizenship if they have been in the United States for longer than five years. To qualify, they also must have come to the country before the age of 16 and have completed at least two years of college or two years in the military.

"We have large numbers of our military who are Hispanic," Reid said Tuesday in the Capitol. "I think it's really important that we move forward on this legislation . . . Kids who grew up as Americans should be able to get their green cards after they go to college or serve in the military."

Top Republicans immediately balked at Reid's decision after discussing it with him.

"It's totally unrelated to the defense authorization bill," said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.). "Last year they dumped hate crimes onto this. The defense bill should be about taking care of our military."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell warned that Reid is endangering the defense bill by adding unrelated measures to it, including the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act.

"It's made it needlessly controversial," McConnell said. "I can't tell you right now how easy it will be to go forward with that bill, but it's certainly created an element of controversy that would not have been otherwise there."

In addition to the immigration language, top Republicans have strenuously objected to a measure within the Defense bill approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee that will begin to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell, the military policy that bans gays from serving openly in the military.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the top Republican on the Defense committee, has led the charge against the bill and blocked it in August when it came up for consideration, calling a change to the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy before a military survey of service members "disgraceful."

McCain accused the Democrats of playing politics at the time, but he made his comments weeks before he faced J.D. Hayworth in a heated primary to defend his Senate seat. Majority Leader Reid is now locked in a tight battle against conservative Republican Sharron Angle in his home state of Nevada, where Latino voters made up 15 percent of the electorate in 2008. He promised a Latino audience in August that he would pass the DREAM Act.

Angle, on the other hand, has endorsed Arizona's controversial immigration law and regularly includes "Go, Arizona, go!" in her stump speeches.

Reid's announcement that he'll move the DREAM Act onto the Defense bill seemed to catch Latino activists off guard Tuesday, but they welcomed the news.

Brent Wilkes, the national executive director of the League of United Latin American Citizens, said, "We're really pleased with this, the fact that it's come to fruition. We're very excited."


http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/09/14 ... ense-bill/

"We have large numbers of our military who are Hispanic," Reid said Tuesday in the Capitol.

Doesnt this insult most Hispanics by equating them with illegals.

These are all Related


Email/Call to DROP THE DREAM ACT FROM DEFENSE APPRO BILL!
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-212274.html

Reid adds controversial immigration measure to defense bill
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-212285.html

Illegals are calling Senators to support DREAM.
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-212298.html

From NumbersUSA: DREAM Amnesty Threat
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-212270.html

CAPS Alert! Reid to Offer DREAM Amnesty as Amendmnt to Defense
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-212293.html

Harry Reid places another amnesty proposal in defense bill
September 15th, 2010 12:37 am ET.
Dave Gibson

On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that he will place the DREAM Act (Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act), inside a defense funding bill set to go before the Senate next week.

The DREAM Act would grant citizenship to minor adult illegal aliens if they attend college or join the military.

Reid, who has been a strong proponent of granting a blanket amnesty to the millions of illegal aliens currently in the country, said the DREAM Act is “really importantâ€

Please read and take action!

http://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-1115285.html#1115285

i just called my reps ! damn does that feel good !

i'm ready to take to the streets if necessary !