I got a response from Durbin today...

withchemicals · 09:56 PM

My response from Durbin (via e-mail):

Quote:

Dear [removed my name]:

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for the DREAM Act. I appreciate hearing from you on this issue.

While many high school graduates in our country go on to further their education, some are prevented from achieving their full potential despite being motivated to succeed. These members of our communities did not make the choice to come here; they were brought to the United States as children. Often, these young people did not discover until much later that the decisions made by their parents left them without a country to call their own. Since arriving here they have attended school, learned English, and contributed to their communities, and they want to be productive members of our society.

To address this issue I introduced the bipartisan Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act). This bill, which I first introduced in 2003, would enable undocumented immigrants who were brought here as children to apply for conditional legal status if they have lived in the United States for at least five years, have graduated from high school here, and are of good moral character.

Under the DREAM Act, these students would have the opportunity to remove the conditional nature of their resident status by acquiring a college degree, successfully attending at least two years of college, or serving honorably in the Armed Forces for at least two years.

The Dream Act would benefit our nation for years to come. The United States currently brings in tens of thousands of foreign workers each year on temporary guestworker visas to work in high-skill positions. These temporary visaholders may have no intention of committing to or assimilating into the United States. At the same time, current law denies opportunities to talented children who grew up in America and who were successful as students. They might have become American scientists, nurses, teachers, or engineers. I have met many of these students, young men and women who want to apply their talents to benefit the United States - often the only country they have ever known. But because of circumstances beyond their control, they are denied that opportunity. As a result, our country suffers from lost economic growth and human potential.

In 2008, the DREAM Act was brought to the floor of the Senate. Although 52 senators - including 11 members of the minority - voted to end a filibuster on the bill, 60 votes were needed to proceed to a final vote. As a result, the DREAM Act did not receive final consideration.

That vote was a setback, but not a defeat. There are thousands of young people across our country who still believe in the promise of America. We need them, and what they have to offer makes us a stronger nation. I will continue to work for the passage of immigration reforms, including the DREAM Act, that are tough and enforceable but also fair and consistent with our nation's values.

Thank you again for your message. Please feel free to keep in touch.

Sincerely,

Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator

RJD/ab

I specifically asked him about what actions he'll do in the next few weeks to push for the DREAM Act and what he has to say about the rumors that he's complying with Schumer to push for the CIR, but it sounds like he just copy and pasted some pre-arranged response that he had on his computer... or perhaps his secretary replied to me... Regardless, this response wasn't very informative...

-----

Edit: Yup, this response is a copy and paste response... I just Google'd a portion of it and apparently someone on this forum got the same response 1-2 years ago... Go figure. :\

RenzoM · 06-16-2010, 10:07 PM

Typical copy and paste response.

RenzoM · 06-16-2010, 10:10 PM

just saw your edit.

*shakes head*

ABC · 06-16-2010, 10:29 PM

The idiot who wrote that canned response for Durbin got it wrong--DREAM came up for a vote on October 24, 2007, not in 2008.

Durbin has abandoned us. I thought he was our greatest advocate, but even he is now against brining up DREAM as a stand-alone. He has been deluded into thinking CIR is remotely possible; given the political climate involving Republicans, Democrats being cowards, teabaggers, election cycles, etc., I am not very optimistic about it.

withchemicals · 06-16-2010, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ABC

The idiot who wrote that canned response for Durbin got it wrong--DREAM came up for a vote on October 24, 2007, not in 2008.

Durbin has abandoned us. I thought he was our greatest advocate, but even he is now against brining up DREAM as a stand-alone. He has been deluded into thinking CIR is remotely possible; given the political climate involving Republicans, Democrats being cowards, teabaggers, election cycles, etc., I am not very optimistic about it.

You forgot to add some oil on your salad of things against us.

Damn oil spill...

ciscox3 · 06-16-2010, 11:03 PM

Ah yes, the old "copy and paste" trick. lol

ibrahim · 06-16-2010, 11:10 PM

i think it was me that got this same message, dissapointing

withchemicals · 06-16-2010, 11:21 PM

Well oh well... I just know that the DA and UAFA need to pass.. I think both deal with the most sympathetic group and most blatantly "stuck" group of people in the undocumented immigrant population. One deals with students who came here when they were young with no choice, and the other deals with how there's no way for LGBT couples to sponsor one another in the US for immigration purposes whereas straight couples can.

DA, UAFA, and AgJOBS sounds good to me this summer... I'm seriously upset about the whole DA/AgJOBS being used as bargaining chips for passing the CIR a few years later...

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I got a response from Durbin today...