Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: William Wise
210-232-5893
UNDOCUMENTED YOUTH MEET WITH SENATOR HUTCHISON
No commitment from Hutchison, hunger strikes for the DREAM Act spread statewide
SAN ANTONIO, Nov. 18, 2010- Undocumented youth from Texas met with Senator Hutchison in Washington, DC to bring a message from San Antonio hunger strike participants, who have been refusing solid food for over a week as they urge Hutchison's support for the DREAM Act.
Two Texas undocumented youth and graduates of Texas universities, Jose Torres-Don and Alicia Torres-Don, met with the Senator on Wednesday, November 17th and pleaded with her for support of the DREAM Act.
Senator Hutchison has refused to make a statement of support for the DREAM Act, citing her interest in a visa process instead of a conditional residency for DREAM-eligible youth.
“The DREAM Act has been in existence, in one form or another, for nearly a decade. At this point, citing procedure and proposing less than fully-formed alternatives is unacceptable. We have lobbied Senator Hutchison for years, she knows our circumstances, and we will not be used as a political football.", states Jose Torres-Don.
Pamela Resendiz, a DREAM-eligible youth on hunger strike in San Antonio, echoes that disappointment: "We are taking physical risks to draw attention to the plight of thousands. Our lives have always been at stake, and we are willing to do whatever it takes to show Senator Hutchison that we will not give up until we have her very crucial support."
"We know Senator Hutchison believes in common-sense solutions, which is why we are confident that she will support the DREAM Act: legislation based on hard work, education, and service," states Lucina Martinez.
Hunger Strikes are projected to happen throughout Brownsville, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and other states will join.
Jose Torres-Don is available for comment. 512-744-8804
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DREAM Act NOW! at UTSA is a student organization composed of immigrant youth and their allies committed to promoting passage of the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act is a federal bipartisan legislation that would allow for an earned opportunity for undocumented youth to adjust their immigration status if they have been in the U.S. before the age of sixteen, have maintained good moral character and pursue two years of higher education or two years in the Armed Forces. The legislation would only offer relief to immigrant youth who have been in the United States five years prior to the legislation being enacted.
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ReplyDeleteTheir situation sucks, but they have nobody but their family to blame for their situation. To think that the US government should bend over backwards so that they have an easy time getting citizenship while others have to wait 5-10 years is insulting to those that go through the necessary loops.
ReplyDeleteBlaming isn't coming to solve anything. These students are trying to obtain equality as human beings. The DREAM Act is based on merit, hard work and education not "an easy time" and its meant to guide them on the path to legalization not citizenship.
ReplyDeleteGiving students the opportunity to make their Dreams a reality because of their hard work is in no way an insult to our country. The Dream Act honors hard work and service. These students have all that it takes to make this country prosper. No one is bending over backwards, the Dream act is in no way hurting anyone all it does is provide an equal opportunity.
ReplyDeleteAlso Mr P., it is an 11 year process to get citizenship. First it is 5 years of conditional residency followed by another 6 years of permanent residency.
ReplyDeleteVIVA DREAM!~!~!~!
Why should these students jump the line? Simply because they were kids when they were brought across? Go back to your country of origin and wait your turn. My mom was in the United States for over 20 years before she EARNED her citizenship. Do the right thing and go through the process.
ReplyDeleteHow are these kids paying for their education? If their parents are illegally in the country then they can work here legally. And if the students are here illegally then they can't work here legally. So who's paying for their college education and supporting them?
Spend your time instead fighting to ease the hurdles to LEGAL immigration instead of trying to get yourselves a free ride to the front of the citizenship train.
@ mr p. You should really know what the dream act is before stating your opinion. It is not a free ride due to their legal status they cant receive financial aid, they cant take advantage of government programs. Its amazing to see that people comment out of ignorance. They work hard doing jobs that others don't want to do and thats how they pay to go to school. They are not asking for charity or for a "free ride" all they want is a chance to one day be able to give back to the community as American citizens do.
ReplyDeleteI know full well what the Dream act and what you hope to gain from the law. My point is that you are not simply here illegally, you are also supporting yourselves illegally by working in a country in which you are not legally allowed to work. So now we have two laws broken instead of just one.
ReplyDeleteMy ONLY way to support this law would be if these individuals joined a branch of our military and served honorably for 6 years. This shows you are willing to put your lives on the line for our country and deserves to be rewarded. But, the two years currently proposed is not enough and getting a college degree shows nothing other than your ability to get the degree (and paid for with money earned illegally most likely). Plenty of people get a college degree and then go work at Starbucks as a barrista.
Im sure the dreamers working hard for degrees wont be working at Starbucks they strongly want this and don't think that is the case at all. On another note please refrain from saying you because I am an American Citizen, I am in school to earn a degree, I am educated and have an open mind to new things. "These people" like you say are here if you don't like it thats horrible for you because guess what they are not going away. There are millions here in the country that was founded on immigration. So it might not happen today it might not happen tomorrow but guess what sweetie it will happen. And the ignorant people will be the only ones left behind.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, my "you" was a generalized statement directed towards any of the "dreamers" out there reading this. So get off your overly-sensitive, liberal self because you think I'm talking directly to YOU.
ReplyDeleteSecond, there is a solution: deport them all, lock down our borders and then begin sensible immigration reform where people don't have tow wait a ridiculously long time to come to this country to better their lives. I'm not anti-immigration. Bring them all here! Just bring them here LEGALLY. Getting these illegals out of our country will eliminate the people that do the work that "no American will do" and guess what...wages and working conditions in those jobs will get better as they will HAVE to be able to attract American workers in order to stay in business. End of story.
These kids aren't dreamers. They're trying to get a handout, "sweetie."
Well i fell sorry for you, and for the way you view things. But, sometimes its better to let you have your way its better to have one ignorant person than two. "End of Story".
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