During a decade of trying to pass the DREAM Act, its supporters have continuously hit a brick wall. Since 2001, the DREAM Act has been shot down 13 times.
Advocates have tried every trick in the book. With the hope of slipping it past unsuspecting critics, the DREAM Act has occasionally been buried in part of broader legislation but without success. Even when the DREAM Act deck was heavily stacked in its favor as it was during last year's lame duck session, the result was the same -- no sale.
And yet... although Capitol Hill experts from both sides of the political aisle agree that the legislation has no chance of passing during the current immigration enforcement-minded Congress, the DREAM Act was re-introduced last month by its most tenacious Democratic Senate allies, Richard Durbin, Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer.
The DREAM Act playbook is unchanged. Recent high school or university graduates with impeccable academic and personal resumes are paraded in front of Congress with the inference that all illegal alien students excel and accordingly deserve deep tuition discounts. Religious groups and ethnic identity lobbyists suggest that defeating the DREAM Act, and thus potentially denying the United States' fastest growing minority an advanced education, would doom America to an uncertain future.
Throughout the 10-year battle against the DREAM Act, Americans have remained firm in their resolve against it. The DREAM Act is an amnesty, rewards illegal behavior and encourages more immigration. Taxpayers continue to be angry that, despite the multiple messages sent to Congress that have blocked the DREAM Act, the fight is on again.
Consider Maryland's case. In April, the state legislature narrowly passed its own DREAM Act version. Scheduled to take effect on July 1, Maryland's law would allow illegal aliens who could prove they attended a state high school for three years and whose parents have paid taxes would qualify for in-state tuition rates at universities, colleges and community colleges. According to Maryland's Department of Legislative Services, by 2016 the state would have to fund an additional $3.5 million annually to provide aliens advanced education. Since taxpayers are already on the hook for illegal immigrants' K-12 public education, more expenditures have outraged the public.
Maryland can ill-afford more debt. In an effort to balance its $2.5 billion fiscal year 2011 budget deficit, Gov. Martin O'Malley has cut more than 3,500 state jobs. Even so, O'Malley supports providing more generous services to aliens.
For many Maryland residents, the legislative process that bypassed voters and added debt during a budget crisis so that illegal immigrants could pay lower college tuition rates was the last straw. Taxpayers organized a petition drive to collect signatures that would put the Maryland DREAM Act on the November 2012 statewide ballot. To date, more than twice the necessary signatures have been secured. This has forced the DREAM Act's July starting date to be suspended.
Once the Maryland DREAM Act reaches voters, and its opponents must first overcome an American Civil Liberties Union challenge and heavy lobbying by the Roman Catholic Church and others, it will likely be defeated.
Despite claims to the contrary made by federal and state officials, the DREAM Act is bad law. Americans want tighter enforcement and an end to illegal immigrant entitlements of which the DREAM Act is a prime example.
Joe Guzzardi is a syndicated columnist and Senior Writing Fellow for Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS). He can be reached at JoeGuzzardi@CAPSweb.org.
AmericanPatriot posted at 10:31 am on Mon, Jul 18, 2011.
We wont allow any form of amnesty even this seemingly banal form of it. We were promised in 86 that laws would prevent businesses from ever hiring illegal aliens again, but they lied to us then and they will lie to us now if we let them. Now we want more. Now we want the border shut down tight, all the illegal aliens back on their side of the border, and then and only then will we be willing to talk about how many and what method to allow a few of them back. Also, businesses must be held accountable for knowingly hiring illegal aliens.
Brittanicus posted at 1:27 pm on Mon, Jul 18, 2011.
Illegal Immigration, the Debt Ceiling and Discretionary Spending.
Only the Liberal progressives hidden beneath the Democratic Sub-Rosa disguises would deny that the Federal government has grown too large. The Tea Party which is materializing in the tens of millions, insist that agencies of this administration, should be returned to the authority of each State, County and municipal jurisdiction. There is nothing more important than after the 14.4 Trillion US treasury deficit be resolved, that rational Americans should demand of their government, that this nation returns to the written word in our founding fathers document. Another extremely important issue, is the connection between discretionary spending and Illegal Immigration. This has been completely ignored for thirty years or more and must be part of capping the debt ceiling. In 2012 will be the historical pinnacle of all general elections, demanding that bureaucrats no longer undermine our public school system and placing the fate of our countries education back in the eager hands of local government, where these entities are meant to be. President Obama or any of the previous administrations have permitted this type of overwhelming influence to happen, even more so in the last few years.
The only connection I have with Los Angeles is an uncle in the police force, that concurs with me about a Leftist Governor and Mayor, who are still writhing under a massive treasury deficit of 24 billion dollars and yet are out to force through the majority in the Liberal Capitol, a California Dream Act. Even the Dream Act on a national scale being the chief issue, its the CHAIN MIGRATION that pours in afterwards. The liberals well no disclose the hundreds of billions of dollars spent, for previous and subsequent Amnesties of any kind? Promising no public funds would be in the outlay, anybody with a prudent mind knows that these students will find some form of concealed money available. With no real transparency dollars will come from somewhere, while the kids of US citizens remain on the sideline. John, a police Sergeant has informed me of rising crime in his precinct and the deterioration of the neighborhoods; full of fast food wrappers littering streets, junk cars, old furniture and other garbage discarded there. The only reason he stays in the State is his pension and benefits, otherwise he would be gone.
While the Maryland's Dream Act approval is going to be decided by the people of the State, then while there is a huge divide in this predominant interest of illegal immigration, shouldn't the Legislators in Washington provide a Nationwide Referendum on whether this sovereign nation should be given the right decide the future governing this ugly issue. A Referendum before the People, could approach these issues; which are many, including a National Dream Act, A moratorium on all immigration, mass amnesty, sanctuary cities and States, 14th Amendment birthright baby citizenship that will settle this growing disaster for good. Americans and not open border lobbyists or activists, will end this torment once and for all and remove the welfare payouts.to economic foreigners, closing hospital doors, the children gaining admittance to our once high performance high schools and lowering the rate of illegal individuals ending up in our prisons.
I took my son out of a Los Angeles public school, because the majority of the children in the classroom were of foreign nationality. He was just not learning, because the overworked school teachers had to spend more time with students with English as a second language. This was in the late 1970s and that illegal immigration to the golden state was influencing the politics in Sacramento. Federal agencies should be downsized including the Dept of Education, Dept of Labor, Freddie Mac/ Mae that has some obligation for the real estate crash and hundreds of agencies, which could be reestablished in the 50 States, where they would not be bloated with over-manned public servants. As in many issues, same sex marriages should be the under the authority of individual States, not the feds. Government was never meant to reign over THE PEOPLE with so much influence and power, that seems only to be the agenda of the George Soro's and his political puppets who donated to:
ACORN (Supposedly dismantled, that was caught up in fraudulent voter registrations) Tides Foundation, Huffington Post (a Liberal-oriented Media) The Southern poverty law Center, People of the American Way, Planned Parenthood and one of the most radical pro-immigration groups of all, National Council of La Raza ( The latter organization has indoctrinated young Hispanics, with the brainless idea that Southwest America belongs to Mexico? ) Soros has said openly he would like nothing better than for America to become submissive to international entities and with his money to restrict American sovereignty. This fanatical billionaire has been trying since 1993, to influence our government and away from the document that greatly benefits us all, the US Constitution. In his early intervention in his push for Liberal success, was his financial support that spring-into-action Barack Obama’s political career. To me it’s surprising that this George Soros, a dangerous to our society hasn't met the wrong end of a bullet from some crazy with a gun.
Something that must stay in full daylight, is illegal aliens are voting in—only citizens-- elections. But neither the US government nor the main stream media, if publicized at all will a short paragraph in some elusive corner of the national newspaper. One has to scour the Internet for "Voter Fraud" information, to see that this is not a local occurrence, but wide spread.
That was when I found another professional position in a community outside of Indianapolis, and fled there with my family. In the less populated areas, there was no illegal alien gang members and where I am is quiet and peaceful. I still have relatives in Los Angeles County, who keep me abreast of the invaders who have brought wide scale corruption and rot to the greater metropolis and a huge reservoir of debt, from liberals and Democrats catering to the millions of unlawful aliens. It's also apparent that nothing on this issue is going to get better, as foreign nationals from other States are giving a wide berth to the policing laws effective in Arizona. It also seems inevitable that hundreds of thousands are running scared by rightful laws in Georgia, Alabama and other less welcoming states of illegal nationals fleeing into California, Nevada and Washington State.
Only the Tea Party believes in self-reliance on one’s own ability to succeed, and not live of the strained welfare gifts of taxpayers. In this time of need, we should be assisting our own citizens and legal residents. Immigration at the federal level has been the worst of failures. Not since the 1920's has there been a true time of enforcement. States have been suffering under the illegal immigration occupation for years, with a disregard by the federal government to implement any real restrictions. If such was the case, much of the necessity for enforcement would not be needed if illegal entry carried a felony and imprisonment. Why bother to even recognize the sovereign laws of this nation, if you can just be deported, unless there was a heinous criminal act involved. Under the laws now set by Congress, thousands still return and disappear. Even the nation across our border has more harsh laws, such as a felony and prison. Our federal immigration courts are crammed with undesirables, who have committed crimes. There is an avalanche of data, which ominously indicates that thousands of illegal aliens are causing mayhem on our highways, killing and maiming pedestrians and other innocent drivers.
Right now on paper President Obama is showing some fortitude in going after business owners hiring illegal workers, but hidden from view is a memo to Czar Holden not to apprehend aliens with minor criminal complaints against them. Does this new order from higher ups mean it’s irrelevant to the "Rule of Law?" It seems to me and a good part of America’s population, that the President's appointees, can do whatever they like. Doesn’t seem to matter that this country has 13 million US born or permanent residents out of work? U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith R-San Antonio, said the illegal aliens hold 8 million jobs, according to a news release distributed last December. So what should the US government do about this bold public disclosure? It should permanently put on the books, the E-Verify and Secure Communities tools, with zero tolerance policies. E-verify to identify illegal workers and those who are arrested and their fingerprints released to ICE and other enforcement agencies. The democrats are adamantly stating in their editorials, that illegal immigration is shrinking, but say little or nothing about the 20 million plus already illegally settled here eating away at welfare and public services.
Most Americans know by now that both parties are to blame, with many subsidized resources being lapped up by a major majority through either forged ID, or just using other legal family members Social or in some cases Drivers Licenses. Even today after the massacre at the New York Trade Center, Washington State, Utah are still issuing some form of Drivers License to illegal immigrants. New Mexico and others have finally have realized the negative impact of giving licenses to illegal migrants and immigrants. The Sanctuary state of California, could well be caught in the brunt of illegal people fleeing with their baggage. Even Nevada may not fare so well, on the move from policing laws.
Not necessarily Rep. Michele Bachmann, but we need a social conservative, a Tea Party leader, who bring Obama to his knees, stop the future bleeding of our Health care system with Obamacare, slow the monolithic progress of federal government and return power to the States. Re-negotiate honest, fair free trade agreements compromised by China. Remove job-killing regulations and taxes, from corporate and the small businessman who will start hiring again. Under the Democrats and its hidden Liberal interference less taxes on companies, will improve the viability of high paying jobs from being exported. Overtime thousands of businesses will return home, having a more stable environment and not being under constant pressure from government and its minions. Remember, America is the greatest consumer nation in the world, and we can wheel and deal for the best trade agreements. People in our nation are finally returning from a deep sleep, realizing we are giving away our countries manufacturing and industrial base.
samkat posted at 5:00 pm on Mon, Jul 18, 2011.
I am not a tea party advocate but I am against the dream act. I purposefully refrained from capitalizing it. Patriot, you are dead on.
RationalHuman posted at 9:18 pm on Mon, Jul 18, 2011.
The Dream Act - a perfect name, ironically.
Time to stop dreaming and wake up.
Rich posted at 11:28 pm on Mon, Jul 18, 2011.
???????? Maryland simply passed a law that Maryland residents pay in state tuition, sort of a 'duh' since they are in state. Caused a lot of rabble rousing and ignorant articles like the one above, but no one loses and just about everyone wins. Except for obsessed nutballs or people who don't bother to read what something is before expressing opinions about what it isn't, it isn't really a stretch.
AmericanPatriot posted at 2:54 pm on Tue, Jul 19, 2011.
Rich, are you really that simple or are you so complex that you see the Earth's core when you try to tie your shoes? The in-state tuition enables illegal aliens who have attended Maryland high schools for at least three years, and whose families pay state taxes, to pay in-state tuition rates at community college. After completing 60 credit hours — the equivalent of two years of full-time study — a student could transfer to a four-year state college for the in-state rate. An American citizen isn't given this advantage. Ya lets award criminals a better deal than we do American citizens. That makes a world of sense if you're a criminal. Just what are you Rich? Are you one of these criminals too?
TruthSeeker posted at 7:45 pm on Tue, Jul 19, 2011.
Well said, Joe. I am behind you 100%!
Dreamer posted at 9:23 pm on Tue, Jul 19, 2011.
How can people who want to better their lives be considered criminals? Criminals go and commit criminal acts...not go and get education. However, the law is so black and white. No one wants to leave their country, leave their loved ones, leave their customs and traditions behind and struggle to go to a "supposedly better" place to break the law. People leave their countries and what they love for the basic necessities that are not attainable back in their country, because they want be able to live and not worry about what they'll be able to feed their families next week.
All of these people who will benefit from the dream act are talented, inspired, driven individuals who want to better themselves and those around them. Most of them were brought by their parents who made the decision for them, and are only doing what they do best, trying to go forward.
One of the best things that can happen to a country that wants to prosper is to have educated individuals. Furthermore, are people not thinking about tuition that these students will be paying?? How does that not benefit the state?
I love how people have opinions left and right about immigration knowing that people who can actually have a valid opinion are those who had no choice, like Native Americans and African Americans...everyone else is a decedent of an Immigrant by choice. People can be as eloquent as they want but that doesn't take their ignorance away. So inform yourself fully before having an opinion!
Dale Whiting posted at 10:35 am on Wed, Jul 20, 2011.
Today's DREAM ACT had its predecessors. Foreigners could get US citizenship during Viet Nam by volunteering to serve in the Armed Forces. While on active duty, I knew an enlisted man who got his citizenship after serving for just one year. It was basic training, then about 9 months of serving in my unit. I was happly to drive him to Syracuse NY to be sworn in as a citizen. On our way back to post, I asked him what he planned to do first with his citizenship. He replied that he and his US citizen older brother in Buffalo were going to pruchase fire arms and then go target shooting. You see in Yugoslavia where they were born, citizens could not own weapons. I told him to be careful, to get good advice on how and where to store and secure his pistol, and to make sure he had the necessary permits when traveling. Back then, Massachusetts confiscated weapons which were not registered in Mass before they crossed the border.
So why don't we do similar things today?
Dale Whiting posted at 10:36 am on Wed, Jul 20, 2011.
P.S. this GI got his post-secondary education using the GI bill.
davidflucier posted at 6:17 am on Thu, Jul 21, 2011.
Another lame article by another lame "anti everything", "I love living in the past", "It's my way or the highway" guy from California who lays claim to speak for "Americans"...and then fails to address the root causes of illegal border crossings: Americans insatiable appetite for drugs and Americans hiring people who need jobs, regardless of their immigration status.
Brittanicus posted at 9:23 am on Thu, Jul 21, 2011.
Arizona, Utah, the Border and Illegal Immigration. IT DOES EFFECT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY?
Although the Arizona border fence is not the one originated by the Bush administration signed into law, the fence is a least another enforcement tool to safeguard the State from drug and people trafficker's, along with the meandering tracks of thousands of illegal aliens. The Secure Fence act was initially a double layer fence running parallel with each other, separated by a no-man’s land in between. The 1000 yard space in between would be the rapid movement of the US Border Patrol and immigration agents. The border fence still remains uncompleted, so it’s still open to illegal commerce and has been surveyed over certain lengths of time by the ‘American Patrol’ pro-sovereignty organization in their private aircraft. Their website has up to date recent evaluations, that the border still is wide open and in some cases on Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Game and environmentalist critics have halted access to patrolling agents.
There are also spotters for drug cartels situated on top of high areas, which have full view of agents working and report to criminals how to skirt these apprehension activities. Arizona deserves a maximum safety fence; even if the federal government has refused to discharge their obligations to the ranchers and landowners.
Of late the deaths of several ranchers and the murder of a US Border Agent, has caused a caustic relationship between Arizona Senators, but Homeland Security have stated that over a hundred more border officers have met their end? The need is great for Arizona to achieve the construction, either through government aid or as being recognized now on a website where ordinary Americans can donate their hard earned money. Because of the Federal Government's absence of urgency to stop this occupation, the State of Arizona signed into law SB 1406. This legislation established a website for the purpose of raising funds through donations from the general public, businesses, and corporations across the this nation in an attempt to finance and finish building the border fence. It makes no common sense from the people of America, why the hard-wire political leaders to complete this barrier.
Americans have proved through numerous polls that they want this nation border secure, not just from--ECONOMIC--illegal migrants, but from OTM (Other Than Mexican), these others are from unfriendly countries, that have paid money to the drug cartels to smuggle them across the border. An oversight Homeland Security in a report stated that foreign nationals from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and Pakistan, who have connections to Al Qaeda have already arrived here. It seems that they have undergone a change through Hispanic fraudulent documents, to change their names, appearance and learning to speak Spanish.
My guess Congress will only take urgent notice, when there is another massacre on our soil. Our future can only be decided by us, in the coming election. By going to the NumbersUSA website, you can observe for yourself politicians who are committed to keep the borders porous. ALL Tea Party members who are now a large majority in the House are convinced that illegal immigration must be reduced, the--REAL FENCE--built, the implementation of enforcement tools that includes the greatly improved E-Verify, to force illegal aliens out of the job market and Secure Communities, which identifies criminal aliens through fingerprints sent to Homeland Security. The Tea Party that stretches into the millions now of ordinary citizens and green card holders
The TEA PARTY will not accept any Immigration Reform, recognized as another Amnesty, followed by an overpopulation concept of CHAIN MIGRATION.
Those Academics are bunch of Liberals Progressives, who smoked too much "POT" in the 1960s,who were initiated into the "foolish ideology" that illegal aliens are good for the economy? You might ask the Sanctuary State of California with an anchor around their neck, sinking into financial quicksand, trying to survive this 26 billion deficit and asking their citizens and legal residents to pay even more taxes, to support millions of instant-citizenship babies, parent caregivers and all the rest of the large families smuggled into America. The Leftists is Sacramento haven't stopped the outlay of billions of dollars every year to educate illegal kids, the medical care under crippling bombardment, Wic, Tanf and a whole lot of priorities for foreigners that the legal inhabitants must pay for; with little aid from the Federal government.
View the heritage Foundation web site, and be aware another Amnesty carries a price tag of $2.4 Trillion dollars, if only 11 million are given a path to citizenship. But the government has lied to us for thirty years, including the open border fanatics. Try calculating the real number of illegal aliens settled here, which is more than 20 million.
Utah, California, Nevada will become a giant magnet, as--ECONOMIC--illegal aliens by word of mouth, will skirt Arizona and other States with harsh policing laws and instead for refuges were they can collect more free handouts and hope that the dollars don't deplete from taxpayers. Rep. Lamar Smith'sR-San Antonio push for a mandated E-Verify is the best news jobless American workers under Obama could here. Upgraded with nationwide Drivers license information could soon make it a formidable deterrent, to catch illegal nationals.
The Dream Act can activate yet another mass CHAIN MIGRATION, that all eventually calculated spurs a pyramid scheme of thousands upon thousands of families, as did the 1986 Immigration Control and Reform. Act. Since 1986 Act, the largest group that come here, never paid a penny into welfare, Social Security and Pensions that taxpayers have been paying ever since. There is a huge outlay for illegal immigrants that ranges from billions into the Trillions, for another Amnesty. The Tea PARTY has the--ONLY--answers to engorged government, less taxes and responsibility to Americans and not Foreign Nationals, who have invaded our country. American should not have to compete with unwelcome people from other countries, from across the worlds, which come here to have babies and stealing discretionary entitlements from legal immigrants and citizens. The Tea Party will change laws, to punish foreigners who enter this land without permission, severely; just like Mexico and other governments. The Tea Party will amend the 1986 Immigration law, to make it substantially easy for exceptional people with profession skills, to get special visas; including entrepreneurs. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, and caucus leader of the TEA PARTY is the perfect Representative of all Americans and those legalized and would enforce laws as president, including --FAIR--trade agreements for THE PEOPLE...and not subservient to Chinese importers.
Arizona needs our help and those not content with the governments excuses for not constructing the REAL DOUBLE FENCE--can donate to the website at: https://www.buildtheborderfence.com/azborder/index.xhtml Organizers in the State Legislature, which created the fund the initial goal is to raise some $50 million to get the work underway. As with the previous alert for donations for combating the (ACLU) American Civil Liberties Union filings, of objections to policing laws with the federal court, the money will definitely start rolling in.
It allows the average Americans who is angry and frustrated with the inability of Washington to address the problem of illegal immigration to contribute personally to the fence. Of course Leftist Janet Napolitano, the secretary of homeland security, expressed doubts about the effectiveness of physical barriers at the border, using the old diatribe about the 51 foot ladder. However, that illegal alien scaling a ladder, but being confronted by Concertina Razor wire would certainly attain a different response. The radical organization La Raza, funded by George Soros, a Marxist who has openly wants America to come under the influence of International law, would make waves about civil rights. Not mentioning that 8 million or more, illegal aliens have been occupying jobs.that should be in American hands.
Masterrogue666 posted at 2:31 pm on Sat, Jul 23, 2011.
Dreamer: What ever happened to EARNING CITIZENSHIP like OTHER LEGAL IMMIGRANTS? One of the requirements for becoming a citizen is to have "Good Moral Character". Hiding the FACT that you are an INVADING FOREIGN NATIONAL (or ILLEGAL ALIEN, you choose), proves to me that said person DOESN'T have 'Good Moral Character". How about staying in the country of your birth and make changes there INSTEAD OF trying to make changes here, IN MY COUNTRY, when you aren't even a CITIZEN! They shouldn't even be allowed to speak to ANY member of government! And if they admit they are ILLEGAL, they should be deported!
davidflucier: I don't think he stated that he speaks for everyone. However, it's OBVIOUSLY to intelligent people that he is speaking about the majority of US CITIZENS. Thirteen times in TEN YEARS, and the BEST CHANCE was during the Lame Duck session. FAILED EVERY TIME. Ever hear about beating a dead horse?