Pragmatism and Opportunity Fall Victim to Partisanship and Nativism

WASHINGTON, DC- This afternoon, the Senate voted down the DREAM Act, a bill that would help immigrant children who attend college or serve in the military legalize their status. This vote exposes the failed leadership of Senate Democrats and Republicans, who have allowed nativist anti-immigrant hate speech to overwhelm reason on the immigration reform debate.  Below is a statement by SEIU Executive Vice President Eliseo Medina responding to the failed cloture vote.

"Today the dream is over for thousands of immigrant soldiers and college students who have fallen victim to a political hate storm.  Instead of standing up for a smart, pragmatic bill that would give a break to deserving young people, Senate Republicans and Democrats caved to cowardice and fear.

"Before they took the dream away, striving young immigrants and patriots from across the country swarmed our nation's capitol seeking reason and compassion. Instead, they found intolerance and partisanship. 

"We applaud those 52 Senate leaders who voted in favor of this smart-minded bill.  However, we need more courageous leaders to move past this futile deadlock.  Congressional inaction just fuels anger and division on an issue that America is eager to solve.

"America became a great country because we gave opportunities to hard working newcomers and those willing to sacrifice for a dream.  Today's Senate vote does more than squash the dreams of thousands of deserving young people-it fosters hopelessness and despair in a nation in desperate need of progress." 

"

###