Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Via Twitter:
I will move the DREAM Act as a standalone bill in the lame duck. It’s good for the economy & Pentagon says good for natl security.
And so here it comes. As we have previously reported, the misleadingly named “DREAM Act” creates a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who entered the United States as children. Individuals that prove to be of “good moral character” and either receive a college degree or complete at least two years of U.S. military service would qualify them to receive citizenship.
But lost in all the cheerful sounding rhetoric is the very dangerous fine print. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) has issued a press release about the Dems’ DREAM Act and identified the following critical points about what the act really accomplishes:
1. The DREAM Act Is NOT Limited to Children, And It Will Be Funded On the Backs Of Hard Working, Law-Abiding Americans
2. The DREAM Act PROVIDES SAFE HARBOR FOR ANY ALIEN, Including Criminals, From Being Removed or Deported If They Simply Submit An Application
3. Certain Criminal Aliens Will Be Eligible For Amnesty Under The DREAM Act
4. Estimates Suggest That At Least 2.1 Million Illegal Aliens Will Be Eligible For the DREAM Act Amnesty. In Reality, We Have No Idea How Many Illegal Aliens Will Apply
5. Illegal Aliens Will Get In-State Tuition Benefits
6. The DREAM Act Does Not Require That An Illegal Alien Finish Any Type of Degree (Vocational, Two-Year, or Bachelor’s Degree) As A Condition of Amnesty
7. The DREAM Act does not require that an illegal alien serve in the military as a condition for amnesty, and There is ALREADY A Legal Process In Place For Illegal Aliens to Obtain U.S. Citizenship Through Military Service
8. Despite Their Current Illegal Status, DREAM Act Aliens Will Be Given All The Rights That Legal Immigrants Receive—Including The Legal Right To Sponsor Their Parents and Extended Family Members For Immigration
9. Current Illegal Aliens Will Get Federal Student Loans, Federal Work Study Programs, and Other Forms of Federal Financial Aid
10. DHS Is Prohibited From Using the Information Provided By Illegal Aliens Whose DREAM Act Amnesty Applications Are Denied To Initiate Their Removal Proceedings or Investigate or Prosecute Fraud in the Application Process
South Florida’s Republican Congressional Delegation is also split on the matter, as Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen are supporters of this act. Their support of this law in indefensible in many regards, not the least of which are millions of desperate unemployed American workers and our near 10 percent unemployment rate. Why do we want to issue work permits to illegal aliens at this juncture when 22 million Americans can’t find a full-time job?
Newly elected Senator Marco Rubio does not stand in solidarity with his ‘neighborhood’ Congressional representatives, as he has fervently opposed the Dream ACT since beginning his Senatorial run in 2009. He issued the following statement to the Shark Tank:
“As I’ve said before, obviously there are children who are brought here by their parents when they were very young, illegally, but who are high academic achievers or want to serve in the Armed Forces and we should figure out a way to accommodate children in that specific situation. But the DREAM Act, as I have read it, goes well beyond that. It’s much broader and is not the right approach to that issue. In fact, it makes having a legal immigration system that works harder to accomplish. I have the same position I had during the campaign.”- Senator-Elect Marco Rubio
Supporters of DREAM continue to mislead the public and dominate the rhetoric by talking about a very small group of teenage students who shouldn’t be punished for the illegal actions of their parents who supposedly brought them to the U.S. as young children. In actuality, the law will cover far illegal immigrants that this small group. Instead, we should be supporting the implementation of E-Verify to guarantee that American citizens are given preference and illegals are restricted from obtaining employment.
By expressing their support for the “Dream Act”, Ros-Lehtinen and Diaz-Balart are now in bed with President Obama, Harry Reid and Congressional Hispanic Caucus-all 23 members of which are Democrats and who have sympathies for the Castro/Chavez regimes. And they say that politics makes for strange bedfellows? Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen and Congressman Diaz-Balart need to reconsider their position on the issue and reflect accurately on the damage it would do to both our national security and our economy- regardless of what Harry Reid says.
13 Responses to “‘Dream Act’ Cramdown Looms in Lame Duck Session, Florida Politicos Divided”
But you know, if they stopped hiring them, they would go home.
I wonder have legal Hispanics figured out there job goes with the next wave of illegals? Are they that smart?
Any reasonable Senator of the United States would be against the Dream Act and I thank Sen. Marco Rubio for his comments and vote against this legislation trying to be pushed forward during the lame duck session.
The immigration laws of the United States are reasonable and should be obeyed because they were made with the intention of the greatest good for the greatest number. There are ALWAYS exceptions and that is the difficult part of the job of being a legislator. Good luck! Sincerely, Debbie Levitt
Rubio speaks with forked tongue. He sounds like he is against Amnesty,but he disagrees with details of other bills and then is not real clear about what he says his position has been clear from the begining ? Yet he kind of agrees but kind of disagrees. Mel Martinez all over. When it comes down to the moment of decission,then we will say, ah ha, thats what his view on Amnesty is.
It’s real simply. He sat on the Amnesty bill in Florida and never allowed it to come up,Why ? He disagree with the Arizona bill until the made sure people would not be “profiled.” Problem is,it aint short white catholic nuns running across the American Border.
The profile of politicians who are for Amnesty in their policy is, if the want to fix the Law rathen than enforce it.
It sure feels good to hear the same thing from a candidate for whom I voted after the election as he stated before he got my vote. Bravo Marco!
Podesta I think was right last week when he said Obama should demand by executive order our military be brought in to control the idiot citizen which to their utter dismay and delusion is now a majority. I embrace this as it seems the only way this administration will get the hint that a majority of voters think this administration sucks. Yeah, I can just see my son, an Air Force Major and pilot following an executive order like this. Aint gonna happen Podesta but you folks won’t now this until you try, will ya? H*ll no you won’t so bring it on. I’m at the end of my rope with you people, yes you people. You stick out like an ostrich in a trailer park..
The Dream Act is more like a Freddy Kruger Nightmare
@ Lightweight, Marco’s voting against it. So who cares what he says or how he says it? It’s the vote that matters. DAH!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s really too bad to see my Congressman Diaz-Balart (he represents part of Pembroke Pines, by gosh) and his fellow Miami congresswoman support this Act because of pure politics rather than principal. This is the very reason Martinez (ABM) became so unpopular after he backed McCain’s amnesty bill; he could have made it much better if he had wanted to, but he made a deal instead. I am so proud of Marco Rubio for having the conscience of a conservative and standing up for principles. He’s not giving them hell; he’s just telling the truth and they think that’s hell.
It is imperative that the Dream Act not pass in either the senate or house! It is being pushed hard by the Hispanic caucus and Weiner (NY). Call Bill Nelson’s office, fax, or whatever needs to be done to convince him not to vote for this bill. They must not pass this and only the voices of dissent will prevail. Happy Thanksgiving.
It is Bill Nelson we have to worry about!!!!! Call his office or send E-mails tothis guy!
Vote NO on this horrific Act
What horrific bill? This is ment to give young men and women out there, that have lived in this country for as long as they can remmember, the same rights they’re friends and classmates have. All these little issues with the bill can be fixed, if the right decides to actually try and negotiate. Instead of staying as the NO party untill Obama leaves office, maybe something can be accomplished around here. What possible reason can you give for denying young people basic human rights like driving a car or getting an education or having a job. Theres no other reason except hatred, towards hispanics probably or democrats. I mean these kids are actually going to do something with their lives, theyre going to go to school and eventually join the work force as intelligent educated individuals, they’re going to join the military and defend this country, even though they have faced so much discrimination and oppresion. But Please go on with your lives, and don’t forget to spit on any hispanic you see. And don’t forget to tell your kids to follow what you do, and make sure they know that your people have natural birth right to this country because your family has been here a total of 4 generations and is from europe instead of 2 and from the other parts of the Americas.
Yank all illegials out of US Schools and send them back to the country they came from. I know they must have schools in their countries. Let their countries take care of them, The USA does not have the money to support them. WE ARE BROKE.
@Abe: Couldn’t have said it better.
What people don’t understand is that there are thousands of college grads out there in this situation, and the U.S. government **already spent** the money to educate them.
Now, if you look at it from a pure economic view … what do you think is best? Continue to deny them the right to work in this country or perhaps give them the right to work in this country and contribute the much-needed tax dollars???
It’s not rocket science people.
If we are so worried about our Tax dollars … maybe we should wonder why the U.S. has spent well over $3 trillion in the Iraq war?? Ever wondered what all that money could have done if it was instead used for the American People (creating jobs, etc.)????