Senate Shatters Students’ DREAM
Cite as "AILA InfoNet Doc. No. 07102470 (posted Oct. 24, 2007)"


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, October 24, 2007

CONTACT: George Tzamaras
202-216-2410 gtzamaras@aila.org

WASHINGTON, DC - In a stunning display of heartlessness and gutlessness, the Senate voted today to quash the dreams and aspirations of hundreds of thousands of American students. The 52-44 vote in favor of proceeding to debate on the DREAM Act (S. 2205) fell eight votes short of the necessary 60 vote threshold. That eight-vote shortfall means a generation of American kids will remain stranded at the schoolhouse door. And while the vote is a nightmare for children, families, educators, and military recruiters throughout the country, it will also haunt the long-term political fortunes of those Senators standing on the wrong side of justice.

Make no mistake about it, the vote on this bill was about much more than immigration policy, it was a vote about who we are as a country. These young people were brought to the United States by their parents at an age where they had no say in the decision. Many have spent the majority of their lives in the United States and consider themselves to be Americans. Like their U.S.-born peers, they dream of pursuing a higher education or serving their country, but they are prevented from doing because they lack legal status.

Obviously, our failed immigration policies put these kids in an untenable predicament and this bill sought to provide an avenue for them to secure legal immigration status. That, however, was simply a means to the bill's end of providing these faultless kids with an opportunity to fulfill their dreams, maximize their potential, and contribute to this nation. Today's vote to deny them that opportunity is a sad commentary on the state of American politics.

Our purported policy makers have shown a keen knack for sidestepping critical public policy issues and immigration policy is Exhibit A. So we commend and thank Senators Reid (D-NV), Durbin (D-IL), Lugar (R-IN), and Hagel (R-NE) for their courage and commitment in forcing the Senate to face its responsibilities and take an up or down vote on this important issue. Sadly, too many of their colleagues succumbed to the political fears generated by a vocal cabal of xenophobic extremists.

There will be a number of additional opportunities over the next few months to pursue narrow, targeted immigration policy reforms. AILA, along with the rest of the country, will be watching closely to see if the immigration restrictionists in Congress continue their slow march to political suicide or do what they were elected to do: make smart policy choices that will advance America's interests and solve America's problems.

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The American Immigration Lawyers Association is the national association of immigration lawyers established to promote justice, advocate for fair and reasonable immigration law and policy, advance the quality of immigration and nationality law and practice, and enhance the professional development of its members. For more information contact George Tzamaras at 202-216-2410 or Annie Wilson at 202-216-2435.


My Response back to AILA

George Tzamaras

Staff & Others

Dear Sirs:


Those supporting amnesty for illegal Aliens of any sort need to find something better to do with their time because amnesties are proven failures of the past to solving illegal immigration. Sponsoring LEGAL immigrants and working to improve the government's handling of legal immigration of proper laws would be wiser spent time. Helping ILLEGAL Aliens who violate the U.S. with multiple crimes is negative impacts to all of society and bad for the whole integrity of having immigrants come to America to find a better life.

Amnesty no longer has a future in the U.S. because it is a well known negative. For the 5th time the DREAM act finds itself no good and a destroyed nightmare where it belongs. Illegal Aliens are a harmful unneeded business, that need to be stayed away from and taken care of by law enforcement. Illegal Aliens need to be left by the wayside of disservice and deterrence that they deservedly brought upon themselves. Illegal employers need to penalized and change their labor force for what they have done. After mangling amnesty after amnesty with another blow to Illegal Aliens, with no amensty, they can now think about what they need to do with their future and where time is better spent rather than being criminals.

Illegal aliens have no Right to work or live in the United States and are to be deported. This vote says that this Country has laws of legal entry regardless of ethnic background that is positive to healthy immigration and a healthy country where violators will no longer be rewarded and that the U.S. has the common sense Right to protect itself. The few sob stories of illegal Aliens pales in comparison to the letdown of laws of vital importance. The greater good is for illegal Aliens to learn rather than be rewarded for crime. Immigation law is to be enforced not only for Al-queda reasons but also for all the negative consequences from any illegal Alien. Amnesty is failure again and again now. Illegal Aliens have no place in the United States.


United States