A Place of Opportunity - America

A young woman named Emma Lazarus, whose own family fled persecution from Europe generations earlier, took up the cause of these new immigrants. Although she was a poet, she spent much of her time advocating for better health care and housing for the newcomers and inspired by what she saw and heard, she wrote down her thoughts and donated a piece of work to help pay for the construction of a new statue - the Statue of Liberty - which actually was funded in part by small donations from people across America.

"Years before the statue was built-years before it would be seen by throngs of immigrants craning their necks sky word at the end of long and brutal voyage, years before it would come to symbolize everything that we cherish -- she imaged what it could mean. She imagined that sight of a giant statue at the entry point of a great nation - but unlike the great monuments of the past, this would not signal an empire. Instead, it would signal one's arrival to a place of opportunity and refuge and freedom." President Obama.

She wrote,

"A mighty woman with a torch...
From her beaconhand
Glows world-wide welcome...
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!...
"Give me your tired, and your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to be free...
Send these, the homeless, tempest - tossed to me,
I will lift my hand beside the golden door!.."

IN-STATE TUITION FOR CHILDREN REGARDLESS OF THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS

"The California Supreme Court this week unanimously upheld a state law
that grants in-state tuition regardless of immigration status. Could
their decision send a message to anti-illegal immigration groups who
have brought challenges to similar state laws around the country? Ten
states--California, Il..."
http://www.facebook.com/l/2024beAf2dywAVW_nDFMgzhLBkw;news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20101118/us_yblog_thelookout/california-decision-on-illegal-immigrants-may-influence-other-states

Each year, our children are prevented from pursuing their dreams of going to college because they have no legal immigration status. Despite the fact that many have grown up in the United States, attended local school, and demonstrated a sustained commitment to learn English and succeed in our educational system, our current immigration laws provide no avenue for these students to continue their education and to legalize their status.

Therefore, I congratulate the California Supreme Court for its decision. It is the right decision.

We need to support a realistic passage of legislation --DREAM Act-- that will provide deserving students in the United States with an opportunity to apply for legal status and continue their education. Children should be able to live in and contribute to the country in which they have spent significant portions of their lives. By providing the opportunity for these children to go to college and gain legal status, we will strengthen America economic foundation by creating a more educated workforce and we will introduce justice and fairness to our immigration system.

Bipartisan DREAM Act To Vote in the House on Nov. 29th

Nancy Polosi announce that she will bring the bipartisan DREAM Act to vote in the house on November 29th. Now is the time to make the DREAM Act a reality.

The DREAM Act allows children of undocumented immigrants who have lived in the United States for at least five years, graduated from high school, and are in good moral character the opportunity to earn citizenship through at least two years of college or military services.

Let's ask our congressmen to support the DREAM Act.

IMMIGRATION AND POLICY: CONGRESS SHOULD APPROVE THE DREAM ACT

IMMIGRATION AND POLICY: CONGRESS SHOULD APPROVE THE DREAM ACT: "The White HouseOffice of the Press SecretaryFor Immediate Release November 16, 2010 Readout of the President's Meeting with Representatives..."

CONGRESS SHOULD APPROVE THE DREAM ACT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

November 16, 2010

Readout of the President's Meeting with Representatives of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Today

In an Oval Office meeting today, the President and leaders of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) – U.S. Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, U.S. Representative Nydia Velazquez of New York, and U.S. Representative Luis Gutierrez of Illinois – discussed the options on immigration reform immediately facing the Congress. He thanked them for their constant efforts on this issue. The President and the CHC leaders believe that, before adjourning, Congress should approve the DREAM Act. This legislation has traditionally enjoyed support from Democratic and Republican lawmakers and would give young people who were brought as minors to the United States by their parents the opportunity to earn their citizenship by pursuing a college degree or through military service.

The President reiterated his support for fixing the broken immigration system and urged the CHC leaders to work to restore the bipartisan coalition backing comprehensive immigration reform. The President repeated his hope that, with the election season’s pressures past, Congressional Republicans would work with their Democratic colleagues not only to strengthen security at the nation’s borders, but also to restore responsibility and accountability to what everyone agrees is a broken immigration system. The President reiterated his strong support for bipartisan Congressional action on immigration reform at the earliest opportunity, noting that the American people expect both parties to work together to tackle the challenges confronting our nation.