Labor & Employment Law

Activists Launch Week of Action for DREAM Act

By James Parks

With the Senate set to vote next week on the DREAM Act, a group of student, progressive and immigrant activists launched a national week of action to urge lawmakers to vote for the bill.

Momentum for passage picked up significantly after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced earlier this week that the legislation will be attached to the Defense authorization bill when it comes up for a vote. If enacted, The Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, would allow undocumented students who have lived in the United States for at least five years and have graduated from high school or received a graduate equivalency diploma (GED) to legalize their immigration status by pursuing a college education or serving in the U.S. military.

In a telephone press conference this morning, Carlos Saavedra of the United We DREAM Coalition, said the group, along with its allies, will hold actions across the country in senators? home states to try and secure 60 votes to cut off a possible Republican filibuster against the bill.  He pointed out that with the November elections just a few weeks away, immigrant voters will pay close attention to how senators vote on this issue.

The DREAM Act is not just a piece of legislation, said Tolu Olubumni, an African immigrant, with a degree in chemical engineering, who cannot get a job in her field.

This legislation will give us as Americans the opportunity to add  to our arsenal of professionals thousands of hard working, driven, devoted completely committed top the success of America young people  who would exponentially add to our economic value globally. We have to be committed to our young people regardless of the place of their birth.     

 The AFL-CIO Executive Council at its August meeting pointed out that students?who were brought to this country by their parents?have grown up in the United States, attended local schools, and have demonstrated a sustained commitment to succeed in the educational system. But immigration laws provide no avenue for these students to become legal residents. The Council called on the Congress to muster up some political will and act to help these students make a positive contribution to our society.

Check out the Council statement, ?Making The Dream A Reality? here.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on September 16, 2010 (boomark / email).