U.S. Senate Democrats Postpone DREAM Act Vote Until They Can Assure 60 Votes Needed To Prevent Filibuster

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U.S. student immigrants long awaited DREAM Act put on hold as lame duck session comes to an end in three weeks

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 9, 2010

Washington, D.C. - On Thursday, U.S. Senate Democrats decided to postpone the DREAM Act vote until they can assure the 60 votes needed to prevent a filibuster. Democrats voted down a previous Senate DREAM Act version to let the new House version come to debate and a vote.
Senator Harry Reid (D-Navada) majority leader decided to postpone a vote until Democrats can secure enough votes to pass the act. There are only three weeks left for the lame duck session to end.
House Democrats before noon on Thursday decided on a binding vote not to bring up to a vote the Republican/Obama tax cuts, including extending federal unemployment conssessions.
The latest, feds taking high-speed rail $1.2 billion funding from Wisconsin and Ohio and allocating it to other states, according to White House sources
On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the long awaited DREAM Act by a margin of bipartisan 216 - 198 votes, including eight Republicans. 38 Democrats voted with a majority of Republicans against it.
The DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Aliens Minors Act) would provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented students who were brought to the U.S. at a young age of 16 and lived in the U.S. for five years. Students must have graduated from a credited high school or have completed the G.E.D., have good moral character, pass a background check and complete at least two years of college or military service.
The DREAM Act will affect about 2 million undocumented students in the U.S.
The House approval comes after millions of undocument parents have already contributed billions of tax dollars and Social Security (SS) in the last twenty years and don't collect tax refunds or qualify for SS retirement benefits. The enormous support that was generated by immigrant rights groups and supporters throughout the nation to convince House representatives to approve it, finnally paid off. But now, Democrats are stalling approval until they can get the votes needed to pass it.
The House DREAM Act approval comes as a major blow for anti-immigrant groups and anti-amnesty organizations, which have engaged in racially motivated attacks and negative propaganda advocating against it.
Last week, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report indicated that the approval of the DREAM Act would help cut the federal deficit by $1.4 billion, and generate $2.3 billion in corporate and social insurance taxes within the next ten years. http://bit.ly/fk6B3N

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Students Hit The Streets Of America In Protest Of The Defeat Of The DREAM Act

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Students of all ages protested the defeat of the DREAM Act by comming out and marching in S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive in Milwaukee

By H. Nelson Goodson
September 21, 2010

Milwaukee - On Tuesday, numerous students of all ages hit the streets of America in protest of the defeat of the DREAM Act in the Defense Authorization Bill. In Milwaukee's South side, shortly after the DREAM Act was defeated, students rushed to the streets with signs and banners in protest and calling for passage of the DREAM Act.
They marched up and down the Cesar E. Chavez Drive Business District, despite a rain storm. The community, business owners and residents support a long awaited DREAM Act.
The DREAM Act, if it had passed would have added millions of highly educated and bilingual students deemed undocumented immigrants to the military. Today, the U.S. military is having extreme difficulty in recruiting personnel in the armed forces and has ordered the current personnel to continue and serve numerous tours. Soldiers have exhausted their leaves and must return to active duty. Without a current draft, military personnel will continue to serve multiple tours where needed, especially in the Afghan war.
On Tuesday, the U. S. Senate failed to pass the anticipated DREAM Act bill that was included in the Defense Authorization Bill. The Democrats and supporters fell short by four votes of 60 to pass the defense bill.
Democrats failed to get a single Republican vote and couldn't get the 60 votes needed to move forward in order to attach the DREAM Act as an amendment. The vote was 56-43.
Three Democrats voted with Republicans. Democratic U.S. Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor from Arkansas voted with Republicans. Majority Leader Harry Reid (Dem.) also voted with Republicans to block the bill in a procedural move that allows the Defense Authorization Act - S. 3454 to be revived later.
The DREAM Act would have allowed for millions of undocumented immigrant students a path to U.S. Citizenship by serving in the military or attending a credited college and university. The DREAM Act allows undocumented students a path to become legal U.S. residents after spending two years in college or the military. It would only apply for teenagers who were under 16 when they arrived in the U.S., have been in the country at least five years and have a diploma from a U.S. high school or the equivalent.
Latinos and supporters say, they will continue the push to pass the DREAM Act.

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DREAM Act Defeated In U.S. Senate, Fell Four Votes Short To Pass

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Latinos nationwide to continue push for passage of the DREAM Act, despite another defeat to pass it in a Democrat majority in both houses.

By H. Nelson Goodson
September 21, 2010

Washington, D.C. - The U. S. Senate failed to pass the anticipated DREAM Act bill that was included in the Defense Authorization Bill. The Democrats and supporters fell short by four votes of 60 to pass the defense bill. Democrats failed to get a single Republican vote and couldn't get the 60 votes needed to move forward in order to attach the DREAM Act as an amendment. The vote was 56-43.
Three Democrats voted with Republicans. U.S. Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor from Arkansas voted with Republicans. Majority Leader Harry Reid (Dem.) also voted with Republicans to block the bill in a procedural move that allows the Defense Authorization Act - S. 3454 to be revived later.
The DREAM Act would have allowed for millions of undocumented immigrant students a path to U.S. Citizenship by serving in the military or attending a credited college and university. The DREAM Act allows undocumented students a path to become legal U.S. residents after spending two years in college or the military. It would only apply for teenagers who were under 16 when they arrived in the U.S., have been in the country at least five years and have a diploma from a U.S. high school or the equivalent.
Hundreds of thousands of calls to U.S. Senators calling for passage and against passage of the DREAM Act were registered. Latinos will continue to push for a DREAM Act to pass, despite today's set back.
Minutes after the defeat of the DREAM Act in the Senate floor, Americans for Legal Immigration PAC (ALIPAC) send out a press release taking part of the credit for defeating the DREAM Act in the defense spending bill. ALIPAC says, this is the third time that the organization has helped to defeat the measure.
"Today's victory was a victory for Americans, grass roots conservatives, and the conservatives, and the new media," said William Gheen, President of ALIPAC. "We have proven we can defeat Amnesty legislation with little or no TV or newspaper coverage. Now we are going to prove we have the power to throw some of the most powerful people in America out of office, if we all pull together to secure a peaceful, political, velvet revolution in America. Revolution now! Revolution now America!"

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City Wide Dream Act Campaign Initiated In Milwaukee

VDLF also campaigns to get thousands of registered voters to support driver licenses for undocumented workers

By H. Nelson Goodson
September 26, 2009

Milwaukee- Last Wednesday, September 23, an estimated 60 college and high school students gathered at the offices of Voces de la Frontera (VDLF), 1027 S. 5th St. in support of the national effort to pass the Dream Act. A city wide DREAM Act campaign kick off party event with Miss Mexican Fiesta, Erica Hernandez and information about the DREAM Act was provided at VDLF.
Youths enrolled in high schools and colleges from around the country held simultaneous actions in support of the Dream Act, which provides an immigration bill that would create a path to citizenship for undocumented students.
"Each year, more than 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high school, but because they lack immigration status, these students face uncertain futures," Melanie Benesh, Youth Organizer for VDLF wrote on a press release. In partnership with the United We Dream Network, a national volunteer led network of undocumented students and supporters like the Students United for Immigrant Rights (SUFRIR) a the youth chapter affiliated with Voces de la Frontera have organized a postcard drive at several local high schools and Universities, according to Benesh.
VDLF is also working on a community project regarding the Driver's Card. VDLF volunteers are contacting registered voters in the South side in order to gain support for the passage of Driver Licenses for undocumented workers in the State of Wisconsin. VDLF expects to raise at least 5,000 signatures of registered voters in support of driver licenses for the undocumented, according to organizers.
Last Year, Governor Jim Doyle removed more than 21 million dollars collected from renewal of state licenses earmarked to finance the Real ID Act. Doyle transferred the money to another account and the State of Wisconsin is not expected to implement the Real ID Act. Immigration rights activists say that since there is no longer any money for the State Department of Motor Vehicles to implement the Real ID Act, it should be repealed by state legislators in Wisconsin.
Voces de la Frontera announced a march and rally for Immigration Reform will take place on October 10th, as a national day of action. March organizers say people are expected to gather in front of Voces office at about 11:00 a.m. and shortly after begin marching accross the 6th St. Viaduct ending at Zeidler Park on 4th and Michigan.