Senator Marco Rubio met with Senator Robert Menendez, Representative Charles Gonzales and Representative Luis Gutierrez to discuss Rubio’s plan for a new proposed version of the Dream Act.
Rubio’s version, unlike the version that Democrats have introduced in the Senate which would provide qualified young individuals with a clear path to permanent legal residency or citizenship, would only go as far as granting non-immigrant visas to children of undocumented parents who were brought here at a young age.
“This notion that somehow Republicans want to have it both ways, they want to vote against these laws and appeal to anti-immigrant sentiment… and then they come and say, ‘But we really care about these kids and we want to do something about it’ — that looks like hypocrisy to me,” says President Barack Obama.
The version of the Dream Act currently in the Senate, referred to as ‘Dream Act 2011’, has no Republican co-sponsors. Dream Act 2010 was the last bill of its kind with bi-partisan backing.
An e-mail from Gutierrez mentioned that after the meeting he was “feeling optimistic” that Rubio and Democrats will continue their discussion.
The best and brightest of young people. Somehow we do not want them.
We rather keep them in limbo.
These young people are ready and able to make our country great again.
They will work, and pay taxes.
Once again proving that we are the greatest country in the world for those who want to work, sacrifice and find their dream.
Shame on us, all of us for crushing the dreams of the young.
Baldomero Garza III
LULAC National VP for the Southwest