By Eric Rodriguez
Opponents of the “Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act” today used a procedural maneuver to thwart the legislation in a way that they think will allow them to hide their true positions from voters. However, not only will the Latino community continue to push for the “DREAM Act,” it will also remember today’s failure in the Senate on Election Day.
The “DREAM Act” would allow young members of our society—who were brought here as children through no decision of their own, have grown up in our country, demonstrated good character, and excelled academically—to earn legal residence by serving in the military or completing two years of college. For years, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), along with many others, fought for this overdue day. The “DREAM Act” earned the right to be discussed on its merits before the Senate.
But today’s long-awaited Senate action on the act was thwarted in a procedural vote by Senate Republicans. Not a single Republican senator voted to open debate on the “Department of Defense Authorization Act of 2011” (S. 3454), which contained the “DREAM Act” as an amendment.
There has been an overwhelming outpouring of support for the “DREAM Act” from business, military, religious, civil rights, and immigrant organizations and education leaders from throughout the country, as well as incredible leadership from young students. The measure was even endorsed by the fiscal year 2010–2012 Strategic Plan for the Department of Defense’s Office of the Undersecretary for Personnel and Readiness to help the military “shape and maintain a mission-ready All Volunteer Force.”
We are deeply frustrated that Senate Republicans did not see it fit to give the legislation an opportunity. Even worse, more than a dozen so-called supporters of the “DREAM Act” chose to avoid an up-or-down vote on the legislation, keeping the lives of young people in legal limbo along the way. Some of these senators think they can flip-flop on this issue or hide behind statements such as “I support it but I won’t vote for it,” but these tactics have no place when it comes to America’s youth.
Senators, the Hispanic community will not stop its push for the “DREAM Act” and broader immigration reform. And come November, the rapidly growing number of Latino voters will remember today’s vote.