Marco Rubio, the GOP and the DREAM Act

Forum4PoliticsBot · Apr 10, 2012

"The U.S. senator from Florida offers an alternative to the DREAM Act that could help his party win back some Hispanic voters."

In the 2008 presidential election Barack Obama received 67% of the Hispanic vote compared to John McCain

Thread started at Forum 4 Politics on 04-08-2012 02:51 AM

waltky · May 3, 2012

Uncle Ferd dreams of findin' a smart, sexy Hispexican woman dat'll do as he tells her...

Obama on DREAM Act: 'No is not an option'
May 03, 2012 - President Obama told a largely Hispanic gathering at the White House today that he will continue to fight for legislation that would ease the path to citizenship for some children of illegal immigrants.

Speaking at a Cinco de Mayo reception, Obama said congressional Republicans have blocked the "DREAM Act," which would apply to undocumented college students and members of the military. "We didn't come this far just to let partisan politics stand in our way," Obama said. "'No' is not an option." Latinos are the nation's fastest-growing voting population, and are a major prize in this election.

Polls currently give Obama a huge lead over Republican challenger Mitt Romney among Latino voters; the president's re-election team is currently running ads in Spanish-language media. In his remarks, Obama also pledged to push for "comprehensive immigration reform," which includes tougher border enforcement as well as a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants who are already here.

Some Republicans say Obama's proposed pathway amounts to amnesty for lawbreakers, and that legislation should emphasize border security. One prominent Republican -- Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a potential Romney running mate -- has proposed a modified version of the DREAM Act.

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waltky · May 26, 2012

Illegals goin' after the American Dream...

Illegal immigrants find paths to college, careers
26 May`12 Going to college seemed inconceivable when Adriana Sanchez, the 12-year-old daughter of farm workers, was brought from Mexico to Central California and the family overstayed their visas.

Even though Sanchez excelled in high school, she was in the country illegally, lacked a Social Security number and work permit, and didn't qualify for financial aid. But she volunteered hundreds of hours and paid her way through college and graduate school with a dozen internships. Now 24, Sanchez graduated last week from California State University, Fresno with a master's degree in International Relations, a full-time job and no loans to repay. Using a gray area in federal law, she works as an independent contractor. "For most undocumented students, you have to put yourself out there. You volunteer, you go beyond what regular students do," Sanchez said. "That's what connects us to opportunities. Now employers call me."

With thousands of young adults who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children now holding college degrees, Sanchez and others are finding creative ways to get around the legal roadblocks and find a career. They are getting work experience, opening businesses and seeking professional licenses in their fields. The Associated Press interviewed about two dozen such graduates across the country. Some, like many legal graduates, are struggling in a grim economy. But others do highly-skilled work, though not always in their professions. Many are "out" about their status despite the risk of deportation; a few asked not to be identified for fear it could cost them their jobs or alert immigration authorities. "There's a pool of talented young people who in their hearts believe they're American, because they're raised and educated here, speak fluent English and have a level of education that equals or surpasses that of average Americans," said Roberto Gonzales, a University of Chicago sociology professor who has collected data on hundreds of such young adults. "Our colleges don't teach them to be undocumented immigrants."

The growth in young illegal immigrants with college degrees is spurred by demographics children who crossed the border with their parents are coming of age and by laws granting illegal immigrants in-state tuition, Gonzales said. Eleven years ago, California and Texas passed such laws, followed by a dozen other states. No one knows how many illegal immigrants are enrolled in colleges or have graduated; schools don't collect such data. But in 2010, an estimated 96,000 young adults without legal status held at least an associate's degree or higher, according to a report from the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan Washington think tank. What motivated them, Sanchez said, was hope for the passage of federal legislation that would provide a path to citizenship for those who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children and attended college.

But 11 years later, the DREAM Act the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors measure is in political gridlock. Some graduates who are here illegally defer going into the workplace by getting another advanced degree, including the Ph.D., according to interviews. Others leave the country. Others work under the table in low wage jobs, still hoping for immigration reform. But many, like Sanchez who once dreamed of a career with the U.S. Department of State are driven to find meaningful work without papers.

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Marco Rubio, the GOP and the DREAM Act

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Marco Rubio, the GOP and the DREAM Act

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