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Supporters of the DREAM Act held a rally at the Lloyd George Federal Building in Downtown Las Vegas on December 14 in an effort to gain Sen. John Ensign’s support.
Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010 | 9:01 p.m.
John Ensign
Sen. John Ensign can expect to be swamped with postcards — at least 3,000 of them — when he returns to his Las Vegas office.
That’s the number of Las Vegas constituents who signed cards that have been delivered to Ensign in hopes he will get on board with the DREAM Act.
“They don’t have any excuse not to vote for the DREAM Act,” Isaac Barron said of lawmakers. Barron is a social studies and history teacher at Rancho High School and the faculty advisor for the school’s Hispanic Student Union.
The student group — along with activist-representatives from Si, Se Puede, Latinos en Accion, Stonewall Democratic Club of Southern Nevada and Progress NowNevada — held a rally Tuesday in front of the Lloyd George Federal Building in downtown Las Vegas to raise awareness for the DREAM Act and to convince Ensign, a Republican, to vote for it. About 50 people demonstrated.
Barron said Ensign has a duty to his Nevadan constituents who want to see the DREAM Act passed.
“Let’s face it, this is a people issue. There’s thousands of Nevadans — they may or may not be so-called legal U.S. residents — but they’re definitely Nevadans,” Barron said. “It will definitely affect several thousand young men and women that have graduated from our schools. This will get them into our economy. Everything they learn will be put to use.”
The DREAM Act was first introduced in the Senate in 2001. The bill would provide illegal immigrants the opportunity to earn conditional permanent residency if they complete two years in the military or are enrolled in a four-year institution of higher learning.
However, they would only be eligible if they arrived in the US as minors, graduated from high school, are of good moral character and have resided in the U.S. for at least five years prior to the bill’s enactment.
Ana, an undocumented 17-year-old senior at Rancho High School who wished to not give her last name, said passing the DREAM Act is the final obstacle in her desire to get a college education.
“There’s this wall that’s in front of me, and I can’t pass through it,” she said. “I don’t lose my faith that this will pass. Since the economy needs more professionals and more people to succeed, I think this would be a good thing. A lot of people who are undocumented have a lot of talent.”
The groups started their demonstrations Monday in front of the Federal Building and began delivering postcards every hour to Ensign’s office. Though there was some initial conflict with security officials concerned about the demonstrators organizing a sit-in on Tuesday, the group eventually reached a compromise and were able to send a few members at a time to deliver the postcards.
The group also sang its own version of “The 12 Days of Christmas” with lyrics that referenced careers that illegal immigrants could attain to if the DREAM Act passes.
“On the fourth day of Christmas the senators gave to me / four teachers / three architects / two dog tags / and the DREAM Act to set me free,” the crowd sang.
UNLV graduate student Juanito Espinoza eventually took the reins and led the group in chants of “Si, se puede!” and “What do we want? DREAM Act! When do we want it? Now!”
Espinoza said he was there to support his undocumented friends who are trying to get a college education.
“Here we have this huge capitol of educated people who have had access to education in the U.S. and yet we are not taking advantage of all of those brilliant minds here in our country,” Espinoza said. “They’re going to go somewhere else. Why not keep them here where they can contribute to the economy...the society and help America get back on its feet?”
The Senate is prepared to vote Wednesday on a tax and benefits package negotiated by President Barack Obama and Republican leaders. Las Vegas supporters hope the proposed tax cuts will be enough for Ensign and other undecided Republican senators to approve of the DREAM Act.
“To end segregation was the right thing to do, but not everybody supported it. But there were brave politicians,” Espinoza said. “We need more brave politicians who are willing to take that stand of equality.”
The hispanic ward bosses will not suuport Ensign and the hispanics will not vote for Ensign in 2012 no matter how he votes on their amnesties
"They don't have any excuse not to vote for the DREAM Act," Isaac Barron said of lawmakers.
They have many reasons. Like the voters who will vote them out if it passes. We don't need more welfare on our already over burdened system. Send them home and force them to earn their citizenship like everyone else.
"Dream Act" = Throwing in the towel.
Everyone e-mail John Ensign and Harry Reid and voice your disgust at this travesty. Hispanics are very vocal on the issue, we need to shout louder at our disapproval.
http://ensign.senate.gov/public/
http://reid.senate.gov/
Bad choice to equate the Dream Act with the Civil Rights movement. Blacks were legal citizens and entitled to their equality. Illegals have no legal right to be in this country.
Illegals need to return to their home countries and work to make that country a better place. Put your US education to use making a better world there and quit demanding something you have no right to have granted. If you still want to return then put in a visa request like the rest of the world.
Ahh, The United States of America. Home of the "Help Wanted" sign at the border. At the same time.. "No Vaccancy". I don't completely disagree on comparing the dream act to the african american civil rights movement. It's totally different in some aspects and the same in some. I mean, we're talking about college students here. It really isn't their fault. It's the parents fault. At the same time, what should've the parents have told them "oh.. don't go to college and better your future because you're an illegal immigrant"? People don't really have any idea how much it costs to become a legal resident. It's probably double of what you pay to go to college.
This horrible, lousy amnesty act will pass at the same time they make student loans dischargeable in bankrupty--i.e. NEVER. Giving amnesty to 2 million illegals will hasten the decline of the U.S. Did you see the "60 minutes" about Brazil? (go to cbsnews.com) Brazil has little debt, no large army and will soon surpass France and the UK as the #5 world economy. The US probably will not be a dominant economy in this century.
The Dream act should not be passed. These folks committed an illegal act and should be not rewarded for it. This would not happen in any other country in the world.
I am one American tired of paying for these freeloaders while the rest of us struggle. How many of these folks went to school for free on our dollar. Time we took back America!!
People really haven't read the dream act, have they?... It's for college students who happen to be illegal immigrants because their parents brought them here when they where infants, NOT for regular illegal immigrants.
Rancho Juan's comments that the Dream Act simply is for the kids of illegal aliens is not exactly correct. Once the student becomes a legal citizen, he/she can petition for relatives (i.e., the illegal alien parents who brought them here in the first place) and others. It is, in essence, a back-door amnesty: a reward for unlawful activity. And there is nothing in this legislation to prevent the above from happening.
The Mexican people are running away from their country--and have been for decades--instead of protesting and demanding change in Mexico. Because of all the murders, drugs, crime, and corruption, several small communities in Mexico now have young women in their 20s acting as police chiefs because there are no men anymore who will stand up for their people or who have the courage to take on the job. Talk about racism and class warfare--it's rampant in Mexico, but the Catholic Church, Americans "sympathetic" to illegal aliens, and the Mexicans themselves won't address it. No one has the courage or integrity to.
Illegal immigration from Mexico creates problems on so many levels in the U.S. and wastes the potential of young Mexicans to build-up their own country.
Dream Act is a joke to help politicians get votes. We might as well tear down the border fence and have a damn free-for-all. Maybe 2 in 10 get a higher education or serve in the military. The rest are either growing up and robbing school teachers or standing around Home Depot parking lots. As a half-breed myself i would never support this, we have our own struggles here going on and dont need more here making it worse.
Militarily secure the border in both directionsusing a revamped National Guard that focuses exclusively on homeland security. Declare the cartels and affiliated gangs terrorist organizations (we can use Yucca Mtn as "Gitmo North"). Require e-verify for any employment & all social services. Then for those illegals that remain & can prove they've been here at least since 2009, provide an annually renewable five year work permit that does not allow them to sponsor relatives -- provided we get extensive biometric data on them, they have no felony convictions, and they're not tied to any of the narcoterrorist groups. Initiate deportation proceedings against the rest.
@Xtra - All the more reason for Ensign to do what's right and vote for the DREAM Act so he can leave with his head held high. Well, somewhat high, that is.
Wow, you guys are amazing! You all probably consider yourselves "good Christians" as well... LOL
It's sad that we would punish really good kids for sins of their parents -
I guess it's easy to scream when you've won the genetic lottery by being born a US citizen.
To Jenlv and all others who think it is "un-Christian" to be against all points of illegal immigration, there is an excellent book out by a noted Catholic priest who presents an outstanding view of the subject. The book is:
ON THE IMMORALITY OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION by Father Patrick J. Bascio, 2009.
Both of you then can pay for it, oh wait, you have to pay taxes first. Nevermind you DONT MATTER!!!
Just what we don't need - more bleeding heart liberals. If Jenlv thinks it's so Christianlike to embrace and support illegals I suggest Jenlv start adoption procedings for ALL of them so we, the hard-working, law-abiding, LEGAL citizens of this country can stop working so damn hard for peanuts.
You guys are AWESOME!!
Now all of you DREAMers can GO HOME!