The Dream Act Starts with You

What happened

Here’s what really happened on Saturday: laws didn’t change. Nobody destroyed your dreams. Nobody said that you will never be recognized. Nobody claimed, “this is it, your fight is over.” This is as far as the Dream Act has ever been taken. And you took it here.

How to make sense of it

There is no “due by” date on the Dream Act. You can either leave the battle in the hands of the willing and hope that the law will arrive in time, or you can join the ranks and fight.

If your “due by” date is graduation, I’m here to tell you that even if we make that date, life will remain full of obstacles. The path that you face is difficult, but so is the path faced by your “legal” peers. Fortunately, our problem, like others, can be fixed with applied effort and persistence.

A Republican congress isn’t the end

Look at the facts: In 2007, we witnessed debate on comprehensive immigration reform and a cloture vote on the Dream Act, with a split Senate and a Democratic House, backed by Pres. Bush. IIRIRA of 1996 was the work of a fully Republican congress, backed by a Pres. Clinton. The so-called “un-American liberal amnesty death-bill of 1986” that we hear so much about was the work of a Republican Senate and a Democratic House, backed by Pres. Reagan.

We fight for truth and justice, not red or blue. I, for one, don’t care which party is in control. Both have proven themselves equality inadequate.

This is not the end, it is a new chapter. It is time to reflect and regroup.