Rally supports immigrant students

Statesman Journal
July 18, 2005
by Dan Robrish (AP)



PHILADELPHIA -- Supporters of a proposed law that would benefit people who arrived in the United States illegally as children said Sunday that it would help more immigrants get college degrees and contribute more to society.

During a rally held as part of the annual convention of the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic civil-rights group, people spoke out in support of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act. The proposal, known as the DREAM Act, would give undocumented youths the chance to become legal U.S. residents and possibly help them get in-state college tuition.

"We are not asking for any special treatment. We are only asking for the same right to go on and complete a higher education," said Salem resident Blanca Cabrera during the rally at the convention of the National Council of La Raza. Cabrera was selected as a National Merit Scholar at North Salem High School and is active in a group called Latinos Unidos Siempre.

The proposal has failed in Congress in two previous sessions and has not been introduced in the current session. It would provide a conditional six-year legal status for immigrants who arrived before the age of 16 and have lived in the United States for at least five years.

To qualify, the immigrants must have earned high school diplomas or GEDs in the United States and be of good moral character. Those who have completed two years of college or served two years in the U.S. armed forces by the end of that six-year period would qualify as lawful permanent residents of the United States.

An amnesty rewards illegal immigrants and sends the message to future illegal immigrants that they can sneak in, keep their heads down long enough and eventually get green cards," said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, when the act was pending in Congress in 2003.

"The overall economic benefit to our cities, states and nation would be dramatic," said Regan Cooper of the Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition.

If you are a regular reader to my blog, you know where I stand on this issue.

In one respect, I can see what they are trying to do. I agree, it is unfair to the kids that their parents brought them over here illegally however, the fact remains that they are here "illegally", and chances are that they did not come over here by themselves and that one or both of the parents are also in the United States illegally.

I applaud the fact however that they are insisting that the immigrants must earn high school diplomas or GED's and be of good moral character, however that still does not change the fact that they are breaking FEDERAL laws.

(Isn't there some kidnapping laws about taking a child over a state line?)

Officials in Mexico have openly stated that they feel that immigrants should be allowed to freely cross our borders. Perhaps, one answer would be for Mexico to help with the problem by giving up some of its territory to the United States.

We can call it "Little US" or "Ellis Island 2". It could be a halfway house cofounded by Mexico and the US and overseen by the United States has a place for immigrants to go to learn to read and speak English and we can help them apply for legal status.

Just thought.