President Stanley joins a growing list of university presidents who have spoken out in favor of the DREAM Act
Stony Brook University President Samuel Stanley joined the growing list of university presidents and administrators calling for the passage of the DREAM Act.
In letters to Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C), President Stanley joins the presidents of the Universities of Buffalo and Rochester; Cornell, Fordham, Syracuse and New York Universities; and the chancellors of both SUNY and CUNY in calling for comprehensive immigration reform.
“We would…like to take this opportunity to affirm our strong support for federal legislation that would provide a pathway to legal residency—and remove barriers to higher education—for thousands of students who are not legal residents of this country, through no fault of their own,” reads the letter.
The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act enjoys broad support among lawmakers and citizens alike. A poll released earlier this summer suggests that as much as 70 percent of the country favor the provisions included in the DREAM Act.
Those provisions include the creation of a pathway to citizenship for students who were brought to the United States as children and never received proper documentation. In order to obtain legal residency, students would be required to complete some college or enlist in the military, live inside the law, and pay a fine.
Additionally, the act would give states the freedom to offer in-state tuition to undocumented students, many of whom have lived in their home states for most of their lives. An ambiguous provision in a 1996 bill sought to outlaw benefits like lower in-state tuitions for undocumented immigrants, but 11 states, including New York, passed their own legislation that offered in-state tuition to immigrants if they met certain requirements.
“We urge you to include the bipartisan 2009 DREAM Act,” says the letter, signed by President Stanley and Chancellor Zimpher. “This legislation will correct an injustice perpetuated upon thousands of American students and ultimately will benefit our country.”
Time is not on the side of supporters of the DREAM Act. The bill is currently part of a larger comprehensive immigration reform bill that is, overall, much more contentious than the DREAM Act. Unless supporters find enough allies to bring DREAM to a vote as a standalone bill, it is unlikely to pass before the November midterm elections. And if the results of those elections go as expected, it’s unlikely there will be enough support in the next Congress to pass it at all.
But pressure to pass the DREAM Act is growing, as more and more outside voices lobby for action.
“It is the right thing to do and should be done now,” reads the letter.
Im thankful for all those who support the DREAM act 2010, may God bless them.
Until the politicians in Washington, uphold a serious commitment to building the–REAL–fence(s), and not half-hearted attempt in misleading the American public.There will not be any form of immigration reform, if anti-amnesty organizations can stop its course? That means not any form of AMNESTY. No Dream Act or AG jobs. Its a carefully calculated conniving way, to allow illegal alien students to circumvent immigration laws. Before any illegal national student getting in state tuition, Americans or legal immigrants should be awarded first. Its absolutely unfair and will be fought by activists. Ag jobs have been a ugly controversy for years, because of cheating farmers and giant agricultural acreage. Their must be a solid permit system with no avenue to citizenship. No guest worker should not be able to bring in family members, as it leads to Chain Migration. In the end the family sponsorship could lead to more lines at the welfare office, if an agworker cannot support his family. It mean more subsidies for taxpayers to support. The farmers are not going to pay for the health care, the education for children or unemployment benefits, or any other program. It ends up the taxpayers burden in the end. There must be a foolproof system such as a biometric ID card that must be carried all the time. They must stay at the designated business and not stray, otherwise immediate deportation when caught.
That first and foremost should be the THE REAL BORDER FENCE(S).That’s plural as two fences? Beyond the gap of a thousand yards a second chain-link fence, used typically in the prison system topped with razor wire for the whole 2000 miles. Tracks between fences for the use of the border patrol and the the ABSENT ARMED NATIONAL GUARD. Instead the politicians who started the construction of the fence lied. They drafted the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations bill, that specifically eliminated the main funding mandate of the Secure Fence Act of 2006 as a two layer fence. We spend 43 cents in every dollar fighting obscene wars in foreign countries, but the American people remain unprotected. Arizona has been under a relentless attack. Overrun with criminals of every category and uncountable illegal alien swarms. The state like many others are sliding towards bankruptcy because of the liberal doctrine of spreading Federal and state welfare to everybody. The feds hardly ever compensate states for money bled-off by foreign national entitlements as seen in the downward financial spiral of California.
The real fence can be viewed in San Diego, covering just 50 miles and it has been successful in controlling both illegal immigrants and criminal activity. Our legislators have completely ignored our constitution that states, ” The United States shall protect each of the states from invasion,” according to Article IV, Section 4. THAT IS THE TEXT OF THE US CONSTITUTION. And if 20 to 30 million illegal aliens occupying our soil, doesn’t constitute an invasion–then pray tell me what does?Which instead the morons in the Capitol, have been intimidated by the President South of the border. Remember that those politicians in Washington and state level, along with Governors, Mayors and officials must be driven out of office, beginning with pro-amnesty Sen.Reid in the June primary election. Call your Representative at 202-224-3121 and demand their support of the state of Arizona or see the door in coming elections.