Photo by J. Lara
Fifteen students, activists, clergy, and community leaders were arrested after nine hours of waiting for Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison to show up and simply listen to their request: That the Senator support the DREAM Act, a part of immigration reform targeted at fixing the status of students brought here by their parents.
Hutchison has pledged to vote against the DREAM Act when it is brought up during the lame duck session–possibly this week.
Hutchison has said she will not support the current bill because it “goes far beyond the intended group of children who grew up in the U.S. and attended primary and secondary schools here.”
Hutchison has failed to point out where it goes “far beyond,” but it just goes to show her support DREAM Act changes depending on who is in charge, and this time around, it’s the Tea Party who is calling the shots for her, it seems.
Hutchison attempted to play nice and failed, though.
Hutchison issued a statement saying she “appreciates these students’ passion for their cause but hopes they can find safer and more peaceful ways to voice their opinions.”
The activists say they have been trying more peaceful methods for 10 years, and the act still has not passed. In the meantime, the young adults’ lives have been in limbo, and they are unable to use their college degrees.
So, is she out of touch or is she just following orders from her Republican leaders? At one time Hutchison had this independent streak that has caused Texans to believe that at the very least she would consider legislation that actually helps the state. Now, it seems she will go down in history as an obstructionist no different than what the Republican Party is now offering. Well, there is still time for her to change her mind.
CALL TODAY: 866-996-5161. Your call will be forwarded to Hutchison’s office based on your area code.
And tell Hutchison: “I’m calling to remind you that at one time you fully supported the DREAM Act, and I hope that you will once again support the dreams of these accomplished students.
The Actions continue in Houston on Wednesday at 3PM with a rally in support of the DREAM Act to be beld at the Mickey Leland Federal Building, 1919 Smith Street. DosCentavos will be there doing some live-blogging and photo-taking.
doscentavos.net 
Best wishes and best of luck in quest to pass the Dream Act.
The Dream Act needs to pass, but, the culprits along the way have also been ol’ line Latino Civil Rights leaders and politicians who attempted to hold the Dream Act hostage until all other immigrant issues were passed at the same time. If regrettably the Dream Act is not passed anytime soon, the ones who need to accept responsibility for the possible failure or those “leaders”.
Als0, others who must accept responsibility for not passing the Dream Act, if it fails to pass, are the Democrats who held the power to do so but took the Latino voters for granted. The Republican Senator is not, and has not been the main problem, seems to me. The total picture must be taken into consideration.
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