US Ed Secretary makes last-ditch push for DREAM Act
I participated in a quick media call Friday morning with U.S. Secretary Arne Duncan who is making a last-ditch effort to persuade the Senate to pass the DREAM Act when it votes today. Duncan called it an historical vote and said he was hopeful that the bill will pass.
The Senate, in an unusual Saturday session, is taking up two controversial bills today, the DREAM Act, which is being debated now, and the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military.
Duncan’s call with reporters was part of an overall White House push this week for DREAM Act passage. The House passed the act last week, a vote that Duncan said shifted the momentum in favor of the controversial legislation that creates a path to citizenship for children of illegal immigrants.
It applies to illegal immigrants who entered the United States before their 16th birthday. To qualify, they must graduate from high school, enter college or into the military, and stay out of trouble.
The DREAM Act was written by both Republicans and Democrats. Saying he has made a number of calls to senators, Duncan argued that the DREAM Act is “important to our nation” and “a very personal battle” because of the undocumented students he met while CEO of the Chicago public schools. In fact, he said he and his wife created a small scholarship fund for such students who now face many obstacles in affording college.
“The door of opportunity was basically shut to them,” he said. “It was devastating to see those dreams go away. These are young people who have done everything right, who have played by all the rules.”
Duncan said the act would affect 65,000 high school graduates each year. “To have their energy, ingenuity and entrepreneurship unleashed first through the chance to go to college and then in the workforce will not just change the fortunes of them and their families in their communities but will be a tremendous benefit to the country. It is not just the right thing for the 65,000 students, it is the right thing to do for our country. ”
The act faces opposition because of the costs it may entail and its access to U.S. citizenship for children brought here illegally. A report issued by the Center for Immigration Studies states, “Given the low income of illegal immigrants, most can be expected to attend state schools, with a cost to taxpayers in the billions of dollars. As both funds and slots are limited at state universities and community colleges, the act may reduce the educational opportunities available to U.S. citizens.”
The center contends that “1.03 million illegal immigrants will eventually enroll in public institutions (state universities or community colleges) as a result of the DREAM Act. That is, they met the residence and age requirements of the act, have graduated high school, or will do so, and will come forward.On average each illegal immigrant who attends a public institution will receive a tuition subsidy from taxpayers of nearly $6,000 for each year he or she attends for total cost of $6.2 billion a year, not including other forms of financial assistance that they may also receive.”
A close vote is expected this morning in the Senate.
–By Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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135 comments Add your comment
Just A Teacher
December 17th, 2010
6:18 pm
It’s just wrong to give someone who is only here because they did something illegal citizenship. There is a problem in America if we are even talking about this. No other country in the world would tolerate having millions of undocumented people invading its borders. I am very sorry for these young people, but their parents chose to put them in this situation. And Shelby, if you know this girl is here illegally, isn’t it your duty as a government employee to call the INS?
shelby "Dream act supporter"
December 17th, 2010
6:23 pm
Just A Teacher: I don’t have it in me to do that, maybe you would pick up the phone and have this girl sent back to a country she doesn’t know….but I don’t. Actually believe it or not, I have many friends who work for Homeland Security that support this bill.
Why are you saying “invading the borders?’ do you understand that if people cross the border lets say this year….they will under no circumstance fall under this law. Their are very strict regulations on the Dream Act.
Latino Leaders Press Senators on Immigration Bill – New York Times « Contacto Latino News
December 17th, 2010
6:40 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Francisco Canales
December 17th, 2010
6:50 pm
AMERICANS FOR HONEST GOVERNMENT
Dec.15th,2010
Fellow Hispanic Americans, Democrats in Congress done it again. Voting to legalized any one that is here in violation of our immigration laws is to void the rule of law. Obama refusing to secure our borders, enforce our immigration laws and suing Arizona for doing the job that he refused to do, is a betrayal to the American people and will affect us the Latino community.
We the people must hold congress accountable for betraying the American people.
“CONGRESS,LA RAZA, MALDEF, MECHA,LULA AND THE NATIONAL HISPANIC LEADERSHIP”, Blind by their objective to gain political power, want to void our constitution and the rule of law. Their complete disregard for our constitution and the rule of law are the results of this huge invasion of Mexicans illegal aliens, including the drug cartels, this open border and immigration policies promoted by the Mexicans, Obama and the corrupt Democrats is destroying our country, our Latino character and values are being erode by corruption and crime, we come to this United States in search for a better future, free of Government corruption and we are making this country just like Mexico, corrupt and lawless.
We Latin Americans that opposed to any immigration reform are concern about the character and values of Latinos, we must take responsibility about our economy and welfare, clean up our communities from corruption and crime and support and up hold our constitution and the rule of law; we can not void, or be selective in the application or enforcement of our laws.
This open border policy must end and our immigration laws enforce, to stop this invasion of illegal aliens; no one can call us racists we are just loyal to our country the United States of America, this country give us the opportunity to make for ourselves and our families a future of prosperity and we can not betray our country, we come to be part of this Unite States, not to make here a replicate of the country we come from.
Obama and the Democrats immigration policy, cost the States billions of Dollars in social services, education, law enforcement and the war against the drug cartels criminal activities.
Obama and the Democrats must do what is right for America or they will be out of the job, no one that betray the will of the people should be elected to office.
Mr. politician this is what loyal Latin Americans want and what is best for our country, to fix your ill immigration policies and save our country from becoming third world country just like Mexico.
1-Build the fence and secure our Borders, enforce all immigration laws and revise our refuge and asylum policies, to insure their return to their country of origin when is safe for them to return.
2- Pass a legislation that will make every state part of the enforcement of the immigration laws and fund this obligation with the confiscation and sales of property from drug dealers, human traffickers and organized crimes, also by a sales tax.
2- Work on a immigration reform that will not allowed any family reunion clause or petitions for parents, siblings or any relative and exclude and deport any one with criminal record also deport any one that is given US residence upon conviction of any felony crimes.
3- Change our constitution to stop anchor babies (U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC Bill)
4- prosecute any employer that hire an illegal immigrant. The responsibility for compliance rest on the owner or the president, vise-president and human resources directors if the violator is a corporation. Violation of this law should be a jail sentence of the minimum of 5 years.
We the people will work to get the traitors out of Washington. We ask you that get inform and vote out of office the politicians that fail to vote for what is best for Americans.
Here is the list of the traitors that voted to void our immigration law and give amnesty to illegal aliens using political tools that voided the voice of the people.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/08/AR2010120807941_2.html
Stop the Dream act, call these Senators today.
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-219596.html
Francisco Canales
teapartyoftx@gmail.com
http://www.numbersusa.com/content/nusablog/beckr/december-7-2010/congress-votes-today-millions-10-year-work-permits-illegal-aliens.htm
OUR CHARACTER AND VALUES ARE THE FOUNDATION OF OUR COUNTRY. STOP THE EROSION OF OUR CHARACTER AND AMERICAN VALUES THROUGH EDUCATION.
Senate to Cast Crucial Vote on DREAM Act on Saturday – Fox News « Contacto Latino News
December 17th, 2010
7:01 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Extremes make me scream...
December 17th, 2010
7:03 pm
Once you teach a student that is the top of his class, brighter than his classmates but is unable to get into a college because of this residency status, it is heartbreaking. These children (some do not speak Spanish) only know the American way of life. To send them to Mexico is ridiculous.
I watched a documentary that talked about how other countries teach English in preparation to compete with our students globally. We do not want to retain our best and brightest bilingual students. RIDICULOUS!
shelby "Dream act supporter"
December 17th, 2010
7:05 pm
Francisco Canales: IM UTTERLY SHOCKED. YOU’RE A TRAITOR TO YOUR OWN CULTURE. IM AMAZED. IM THANKFUL THAT I AM AMERICAN AND I HAVE AMERICANS ON MY SIDE TO FIGHT FOR MY COUNTRY. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY AMERICANS GO OUT AND SAVE THEIR WOUNDED OR KIDNAPPED FIGHTERS IN OTHER COUNTRIES? MANY…AND YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE WE STICK TOGETHER AND YES WE ARE A STRONG NATION. BUT AS FOR YOU FRANCISCO, YOU AMAZE ME. HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOUR GREEN CARD WAS REVOKED? THATD BE INTERESTING. ARE YOU MEXICAN?
DREAM Act for Illegal Immigrants Faces Key Senate Vote – ABC News « Contacto Latino News
December 17th, 2010
7:16 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
kgolden
December 17th, 2010
7:51 pm
To those that keep bleating out “Obama is thwarting the rule of law!!” consider the following:
Laws are not and never have been absolute. As society changes laws are updated, amended, etc. This happens especially when the law does not functions poorly or does not serve the purpose for which it was intended. It s a specious argument to say that the immigration law is the law and we all need to just follow the law, no questions asked.
Guess what – during the rise of nazism in the 1930s the German government passed laws requiring people to inform to the government if they suspected that a neighbor, friend, etc was jewish. This was done to try to register jews. We all know how that turned out, right?
Should we have all blindly followed the law? After all, If you knew someone who was jewish and didn;t inform on them you were committing an illegal act. Of course not, that type of law was an absolute abomination. So spare me the “rule of law” argument. When the law doesn’t work you look to change it so that it works better for society. That is a fundamental principle of our country and clearly too many people do not see this.
The current immigration laws are not really abominable, but they are a fiasco – grossly inflexible, unduly harsh and do not serve the best interests of our society. The immigration law changes that were passed back in 1996 really screwed up the system because it created harsh penalties for minor violations and Congress was supposed to (but never got around to it) create a sufficient legal channel for foreign workers to come and work in jobs that we need to fill in order to run our economy. For many years workers would come to the U.S, because U.S. employers were offering plenty of jobs. There was lax enforcement by our government for a long time and congress hasn’t been able to come up with a realistic workable solution that balances border security with a better functioning immigration system.
Burroughston Broch
December 17th, 2010
8:07 pm
To all posters pushing the DREAM Act for whatever reason, please take the time to review the citizenship requirements of Mexico. You will learn that they are much more stringent than our present requirements, much less those proposed by the DREAM Act. You should then realize how foolish you have been by pushing the DREAM Act.
shelby "Dream act supporter"
December 17th, 2010
8:27 pm
@Burroughston: just drop it
shelby "Dream act supporter"
December 17th, 2010
8:30 pm
@Kgolden: Can you believe that guy Francisco? I’m amazed…..btw you bring up really good points
shelby "Dream act supporter"
December 17th, 2010
9:12 pm
Signing off guys. Everyone have a happy and safe holiday.
americanconservativenews.com » Blog Archive » Operation Buck Up redux: Stop the DREAM Act; Sessions’ last action alert
December 17th, 2010
9:31 pm
[...] leaders to lean on Senate Republicans who have supported DREAM in the past. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is also leading a last-ditch push to make illegal aliens’ education a priority while strapped [...]
GNGS
December 17th, 2010
10:09 pm
There are a lot of emotions on both sides of the issue. If we all step back a little and think a little, it should not take long to realize that the DREAM act is a good idea.
First of all, yes, they broke our law. The question is what should we do about it. I realize that 20 to 25 percent people in this country and probably higher percent people in Georgia are willfully ignorant. If you are one of them (how do I know, you ask, simple, if you think Iraq had WMD, the president is a Muslim, or you are not sure about whether the president was born in the US), please ignore this post. All sane people agree that deporting all undocumented aliens is not going to happen. There are many reasons for this. For one, “it is cost prohibitive” as acknowledged by the Fox news owner.
Since we are not going to send them packaging, and they are not going away. How do we deal with this? If your concern is tax, giving them a legal status is the first step to fully integrate them into our tax system. Think about it, many young and productive people (ones with a college degree or serving in military) will be paying into social security for 40 plus years before they see a dime of benefit. Incidentally, our social security is going to have a negative cash flow in about 10 years (depending on many variables of course). In fact, non-partisan CBO has estimated that the DREAM act has a net positive impact on our deficit. Thus, the DREAM act is good for us. There are other reasons to give them a chance to be a part of our society. Tax is just one of them.
Toto: speakin' the truth to power
December 18th, 2010
1:47 am
“To qualify, they must graduate from high school, enter college or into the military, and stay out of trouble.”
Arne Duncan supports SLAVERY! HOW ON EARTH IS THIS CONSTITUTIONAL? Martin Luther King would roll in his grave! This creates a new citizenship status. They must go to college? OH REALLY? Who will pay for it? We know that a larger number of illegals score lower, mainly because of language barriers; therefore, the main non-choice for most is TO GO TO THE FRONT LINES IN AFGHANISTAN! Folks, all the banksters are doing IS SETTING THE STAGE FOR A DRAFT! Never forget OHIO!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI7-m919ynU
Obama makes calls for DREAM Act before critical vote today – Houston Chronicle « Contacto Latino News
December 18th, 2010
2:10 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Obama makes calls for DREAM Act before critical vote today – Houston Chronicle | Fourneau Bruleur de Graisse
December 18th, 2010
8:06 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Extremes make me scream...
December 18th, 2010
9:50 am
What angers me is the consideration for the political implications on both sides oppose to the future of these children. Of course Democrats supports this because more than likely they will have 65,000 new voters. The Republicans oppose it because the Democrats will have 65,000 new voters. The Republicans do not give a darn about cost (evident of the tax cuts for the rich, middle class entitlement (welfare) programs, and the ever expanding military budget).
Consider the future of these children.
TopPublicSchool
December 18th, 2010
10:47 am
This is how Atlanta Public Schools handles it on the Northside of ATLANTA…
Concealing Segregation/APS/Jackson Elementary
http://www.youtube.com/user/TopSchoolAtlanta
Blatant Student Discrimination/Jackson/APS Leadership
http://www.youtube.com/user/TopSchoolAtlanta#p/u/5/0tCFMSuQBTQ
TopPublicSchool
December 18th, 2010
10:51 am
This subject is a total embarrassment to all tax paying citizens in the city of Atlanta—APS—Under an umbrella of leadership directed by Superintendent, Beverly Hall- Atlanta Public Schools has more to hide than just cheating on standardized tests. Everything and everyone needs to be scrutinized carefully to make sure these unprofessional leaders are held responsible for their actions. They do not need to leave their posts with dignity. It is impossible to justify any support for their psychopathic, self-righteous administrative attitudes. How many additional corrupt administrators will be left in the upper ranks in decision making positions to “carry on” with business as usual in APS. Beverly Hall’s resignation will not cleanse this den of inequity.
http://www.TopPublicSchoolCorruptionAtlanta.com
Governor Perdue’s office takes ACTION with APS
http://www.youtube.com/user/TopSchoolAtlanta#p/u/4/7ykbZYUIHRk
TopPublicSchool
December 18th, 2010
11:02 am
Yes …on the Northside of Atlanta…they give the Hispanics an entire school and bus those children in so the high achieving schools don’t have to deal with them.
I think this was called the slave quarters in the days of living on the PLANTATION.
Should we do the same with our Asian population, too?
We’ve already separated our African American population on the North and South of Atlanta…
And it is covered up by the minority administration for LOYALTY AND POLITICAL FAVORS.
.Atlanta Public Schools officials use the UNDERGROUND RAILROAD for the connected “Black Folk” to attend these affluent schools. Turning a blind eye to zip codes that don’t live in the neighborhood.
First you gots to pass the test!
Can you keep a secret?
“SOILED HANDS” in the MONEY- No Consensus
http://www.youtube.com/user/TopSchoolAtlanta#p/u/24/dDSFPmcD3Tk
Senate tackles Dream Act, ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ in Saturday session – Los Angeles Times « Contacto Latino News
December 18th, 2010
11:23 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Senate fails to break logjam on DREAM Act – USA Today « Contacto Latino News
December 18th, 2010
11:50 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Senate blocks DREAM Act – USA Today | Z-YORK NEWS BLOG
December 18th, 2010
11:52 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Pattie
December 18th, 2010
11:59 am
Political ignorance & racism in this country must be stopped.
And all You dream act nay sayers – your lack of spelling skills match your ignorance!!
Vote for tolerance & acceptance- Give everyone a chance!!
And end to the DREAM for now. Senate nixes bill. | Get Schooled
December 18th, 2010
12:27 pm
[...] In his conference call yesterday with the press to urge passage, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said that the Obama White House would try again but this was the best chance to gain passage of the DREAM Act given the Republican dominance of the Congress come January. [...]
Senate Blocks Bill For Illegal Immigrant Students – New York Times « Contacto Latino News
December 18th, 2010
12:28 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Just A Teacher
December 18th, 2010
12:32 pm
@Pattie
I find your categorization of anyone who is opposed to this act as politically ignorant or racist repugnant. I am neither. I am a government employee who works in a field directly impacted by this proposed legislation. I am also somewhat familiar with US Immigration law, having friends who hold dual citizenship and some others who have resided in the United States for many years while documenting their legal status with the federal government annually. I am opposed to this legislation because I know that these people could have entered our country legally and did not. I know it is difficult, but these laws were put in place to safeguard our country.
james
December 18th, 2010
12:49 pm
o.k. if we pass this bill, then what becomes of their parents? do we also grant them citizenship? surely we can’t have a divided family. also what about those students who do not do well in class but get a non skilled job. should they also qualify? it would seem unfair for those kids of illegal parents who do not graduate but maybe have a job to grant citizenship?
funny how no one wants to tackle a few of these issues.
Senate Blocks Bill for Illegal Immigrant Students – New York Times « zverit.com
December 18th, 2010
1:29 pm
[...] None Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Senate Blocks Bill for Illegal Immigrant StudentsNew York TimesThe Senate on Saturday blocked a bill [...]
kevin chang
December 18th, 2010
1:41 pm
It’s OK to help the illegal one If we got all the $, and don’t know what to with it?! How about to educate the legal one FIRST!!!
Video News Blog » BREAKING NEWS: DREAM Act Dies In The Senate 55N – 41Y – Hispanically Speaking News
December 18th, 2010
3:41 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Immigration Vote Leaves Obama Policy in Disarray – New York Times | entertainment and news portal
December 18th, 2010
4:32 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
TopSchool
December 19th, 2010
1:07 pm
@ Pattie…pleazzzzzzzzzzzzzze this is a blog…Spellin, corrict gramer, and puntuation…
People just expressin themselfs off the top of there heads…