Posts

Obama: ‘Our Future Rests’ On The Success Of DREAM Kids

/1 Comment/in , /by

Photo Credit: DonkeyHoteyBy Joel Gehrke.

President Obama reminded Democratic donors that “our future rests” on the success of people brought to the United States illegally as children, who would qualify for citizenship if Congress had passed the DREAM Act.

“About 30 to 40 percent of the kids in this school, by the way, are DREAM kids,” Obama said Wednesday evening. “You wouldn’t know it looking at them, because they are as American as apple pie. But every single one of these kids, you might not be able to tell the difference, but a whole bunch of them — they’re worried about whether or not they’re going to be able to finance their college education of their immigrant status. They’re worried about whether, in fact, this country that they love so deeply loves them back and understands that our future rests on their success. Why wouldn’t we want to give them that certainty that you are part of the fabric of this nation, we’re counting on you, and we’re going to make sure you succeed? Why wouldn’t we want to do that?”

Obama made the comments at a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee fundraiser in Massachusetts, in reference to students at Worcester Tech. “So these young people are graduating, ready to go to college, but also certified nurses, EMT folks. Many of them are choosing to join the military and will contribute to our country in this way,” he said. “And looking out as I was speaking to them and then shaking their hands, and giving them hugs and high-fives and all the things that kids do on a graduation, I thought to myself: How could we not want to invest in these kids?”

Read more from this story HERE.

___________________________________________________________________________

Photo Credit: AP / Rick ScuteriBorder Patrol changing diapers, heating baby formula for surge of children

By Stephen Dinan.

Gil Kerlikowske, commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said Friday that many of the illegal immigrant children his agents are encountering trying to slip across the U.S.-Mexico border have never even seen a doctor before.

He described scenes of Border Patrol agents changing diapers and heating baby formula in order to care for some of the youngest children, and said agents are being asked to do things way beyond their skill set — particularly for so many of the agents who are young, single men.

“I’ve been down there, a lot, and spent a lot of time and I’ve seen these agents doing incredible things,” he said.

The commissioner was pushing back against a complaint filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and several immigrant-rights groups this week charging that agents and officers have been neglecting or abusing many of the children, verbally or physically.

Read more from this story HERE.

Chris Christie Will Sign ‘Dream’ Act, Calls Press ‘Obsessed’ with Lane Closure Controversy

/8 Comments/in , /by

Photo Credit: WPVI

Photo Credit: WPVI

After being buffeted for weeks over a controversy over lane closures on the George Washington Bridge and questions of political retribution, Gov. Chris Christie attempted to change the subject — to that of immigrants and education.

Today he announced he will support the “Dream Act” which will allow undocumented immigrants who graduated high school in New Jersey to be eligible for in-state tuition rates. Today’s decision is a compromise between Christie and the Democratic-controlled state legislature.

The two sides have been feuding over the legislation, with Democrats alleging Christie supported “tuition equality” only before his landslide victory in November. He had stated his support in October at a Latino Leadership Alliance gala, but last month he said he would not support the current legislation.

Today’s compromise will remove state aid eligibility for undocumented immigrants, with Christie defending his decision not to include state financial aid eligibility in the legislation because it would make New Jersey a “magnet state for undocumented students.” At a press conference he said he expects the state senate and state assembly to pass the bill and he is owed an apology for those who said he only supported tuition equality because it could help him politically.

“This will once again be an example of New Jersey showing how you can come to a bipartisan agreement, not that we agree on everything, but that we find a way to bring people together and come to a position and benefit all the people of this state and shame on all the people, shame on all of you who accused me and others of playing politics with this issue, you were wrong,” Christie said.

Read more from this story HERE.

Likely House Judiciary Panel Chairman Strong Opponent of DREAM Act

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Republican lawmaker who is expected to take over the House Judiciary Committee has been a strong critic of immigration reform plans such as the DREAM Act.

That could pose problems for Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), who this week called for “comprehensive immigration reform.”

Hard-line immigration reform lawmaker Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) is expected to take the gavel of term-limited Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas). The panel has primary jurisdiction on immigration matters.

Goodlatte opposes efforts to create guest-worker programs, or grant amnesty to illegal aliens. He spoke out against the DREAM Act when the House voted on the measure in December of 2010, calling it “unfair” and “ripe for fraud.”

Goodlatte said that “the DREAM Act could mean mass amnesty for 2.1 million illegal immigrants…same thing occurred after the 1986 amnesty bill, the Immigration and Control Act, was enacted. Everyone said that was going to end illegal immigration. It opened the doors to more. This is going to do exactly the same thing.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Illegal alien students: pay $465, stay in the U.S.

/2 Comments/in , /by

Photo credit: Fibonacci Blue

The Homeland Security Department said Friday that illegal immigrants will have to pay $465 to apply for legal status in the U.S. under President Obama’s administration Dream Act, with the fees going to make sure no taxpayer funds are used.

Illegal immigrants will be able to begin applying Aug. 15 under the program announced in June by President Obama and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, which will apply to illegal immigrants age 30 and under who were brought here before age 16.

In another key decision, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Alejandro Mayorkas said the agency will generally not use the information from the applications to try to deport illegal immigrants who don’t qualify unless they lie on their application, have serious criminal records or are otherwise deemed threats to the country.

That move is likely to draw fire from critics who say the Obama administration is knowingly turning its back on illegal immigration, but an administration official, who briefed reporters on condition that he not be named, said they made that decision in order to try to convince illegal immigrants to come forward.

“Information contained in the request will not be used for immigration enforcement purposes,” the official said.

Read more from this story HERE.