Thread: Reid wants to reintroduce the Dream Act

Senate’s DREAM Act is win-win for immigrants and the US
By Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) - 06/15/11 05:00 AM ET

During a firefight in 2003, near Umm Qasr, Iraq, Lance Cpl. José Luis Gutierrez became one of the first American casualties of that war. Ironically, Cpl. Gutierrez was not an American citizen when he died. He was a lawful permanent resident, born in Guatemala, who came to the United States illegally a few years before.

Cpl. Gutierrez was not alone. Hundreds of thousands of non-citizens fight in our military. And hundreds of thousands more want to serve our nation, which they love as their own. But they can’t, because their parents brought them here illegally, and, unlike Cpl. Gutierrez, they aren’t fortunate to qualify for one of the very few routes to legalization that exist. Others dream of teaching children with disabilities or becoming doctors or entrepreneurs. But their immigration status won’t allow it. As a nation, we are also missing out on their vast potential to contribute.


Recently, I joined Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to reintroduce the DREAM Act, which would give these young people the opportunity to serve under our flag as Cpl. Gutierrez did. If these young people came to the country before age 16, have lived here at least five years, graduate from high school, stay out of trouble and serve at least two years in the armed forces, or complete two years of college, they would be eligible to become lawful residents. This would apply only to those already here.

This is not a gift. These young people would have to earn their legal status by meeting very tough criteria. I also believe children should not be punished for the misdeeds of their parents; most Americans would agree with me.

Some ask, why reintroduce the DREAM Act when House Republicans would never pass it? Even in the Senate, Republicans solidly oppose it. Well, giving up is not in my lexicon. There are hundreds of thousands of these young people, DREAMERS, as they rightly call themselves, who burn the midnight oil over a physics textbook, or are doing their drills at their high school’s ROTC. They are not tossing their books or their uniforms in the trash because Republicans say no. These kids aren’t giving up, and neither will I.

Many do not remember the country where they were born; many do not even speak the language of their native land. They are American in all but a passport, much like Cpl. Gutierrez, who was just a kid when he crossed the border.

We also introduced the DREAM Act because the only way to move forward is by having a proposal on the table. If my Republican colleagues have suggestions or concerns, Sen. Durbin and I have an open door. If they sympathize with the plight of these children and want to help, let’s talk, let’s improve the bill and work in a bipartisan fashion. Remember, this bill was originally co-authored by a man with solid conservative credentials, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).

He saw the DREAM Act as sound policy. The Pentagon supports it because it would help meet recruitment objectives. Economically, DREAM Act students would contribute about $3.6 trillion to the U.S. economy over their working lives. There are other benefits: stable communities, role models, job creators. Economists who have looked at immigration know it is not a zero-sum game, as opponents inaccurately say, but a growth engine. Further, these young people are already here. Sending them back would actually cost us money, and we would lose talents that could be perfected to our nation’s benefit.

Republicans know all this. So I ask my colleagues who have voted for this bill in the past to show courage; to shake off their fear of the Tea Party and the extreme right. I ask courage from those Republican senators who represent states with large immigrant populations such as Nevada, Florida, Arizona and Texas. Last time we voted on this bill, 90 percent of Democrats supported it and only three brave Republicans out of 42 joined us. I don’t expect 100 percent Republican support, but how about 30 or 40 percent of their caucus?

These young people are not afraid, and they are not giving up; neither should we. That is what our nation expects of us.

Reid is majority leader of the U.S. Senate.

http://thehill.com/special-reports/immi ... igrants-us

We already told the Dems that we do not want the Dream Act and Reid keeps bringing this up!! My God! When is this guy going to understand that we do not want his Dream Act and we do not support amnesty for illegal aliens, criminals? We have to vote all the Dems out in 2012. All they think about is illegal aliens. NO DREAM ACT. NEVER AND NO TO AMNESTY FOR ILLEGALS.

Been there and done that already Harry. We are done giving out any rewards to Illegal aliens or their kids. We know it only invites even more illegal immigration...

In order to stop illegal immigration all incentives to Illegally enter the U S must be removed...YOU just want to encourage more illegals to flood across the border, dont you Harry?

Cpl. Gutierrez was not alone. Hundreds of thousands of non-citizens fight in our military

AGAIN! DO NOT LOOK at the American citizens for things this government of ours is doing against our wishes. So don't use it to fight for something else this government wants to do against our wishes.

which they love as their own

And if they love this nation ,then why are they trying to change it to satisfy their (Hispanic) needs and wants,which in many cases are against our laws and Constitution (after all that is how they got here in many of these cases)

NO AMNESTIES! NO DREAM ACTS!

Hundreds of thousands of non-citizens fight in our military

So is this man saying this is another job or function American citizens do not or will not do,just as they say about field work?

So this government is so self centered that they allow non citizens to fight our wars that this same government seems to get us in to begin with.

We have slave labor and now we should allow enslaved military forces? Just my thoughts.

There are so many lies in this article but I will start with the biggest one. Illegal aliens cannot join the military!

Of course this traitor wants to reintroduce the NIGHTMARE ACT! He owes it to the thousands of illegal invaders who supported him in his last bid for re-election!

Reid is a traitor and danger to this country, that is unless you're an illegal invader squatting on US soil. Then he's the best representation that corruption and money could buy.

Yes, there are foreign nationals serving in our military, that applied for service and were accepted according to proper procedures. Hundreds of thousands? I doubt that. In any case, the Dream Act is not so much about a grateful national bestowing benefits on those that would defend her, but a free ride for students who merely sit in college for a set period of time, without so much as a requirement that they graduate.

Originally Posted by ReggieMay

Yes, there are foreign nationals serving in our military, that applied for service and were accepted according to proper procedures. Hundreds of thousands? I doubt that. In any case, the Dream Act is not so much about a grateful national bestowing benefits on those that would defend her, but a free ride for students who merely sit in college for a set period of time, without so much as a requirement that they graduate.

Depends on what you mean by foreign nationals. Illegal aliens by law cannot join the military. So how are they doing it?

Don't forget that Senator Sessions discussed the Dream Act with the illegal aliens the last time around and told them if we end the 'illegality' of it, then we can begin to discuss it. I 'think' this was on a hidden camera and he did not know it would end up on youtube.

In other words, Senator Sessions told them to hang on, until the Dream Act is no longer illegal. Listen to Sessions at about 2:10 and 3:36 especially.

Listen very closely to Senator Sessions on this youtube tell the illegal aliens to basically, be patient, and they will get their way.

Dreamers asking Senator Sessions to support the DREAM ACT
Dec 17, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGhQLPisMy4

I used to trust Sessions, but not anymore.