Whatever the reason (attractinng Latin@s to GOP and/or pure love for DREAMers), I think we all can agree that whether a DREAM Act or a DREAM Act Lite comes from Democrats or Republicans (lets note that initial DREAM Act was supported by GOP since the beginning, but now that GOP is dominated by anti-immigrants, GOP wants to drop and propose new "conservative" alternative), we still need action.
Marco Rubio, the the son of Cuban immigrants (not refugees or whatever he has said...) is been "working" on a conservative alternative to the DREAM Act that will not lead to citizenship... but it does according to various reports:
Rubio’s proposal allows young people who came to the United States with their parents to have access to a non-immigrant visa that allows them to study, and after their studies are complete, allows them to work legally in the United States. Eventually, Rubio said, they gain the same status of other non-immigrant visa-holders and are eligible to apply for residency. Three to five years after they obtain a green card, they’re eligible for citizenship.
“It’s a non-immigrant visa, so it doesn’t put them on a path in and of itself to residency and then citizenship,” he said. “But it does legalize their status, it wipes out any of these immigration penalties that they might be facing, and it allows them to go on with their lives with some level of certainty.”
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DREAMers and allies want action. But are all also well aware of the fact that both GOP and Dems are playing games.... AGAIN:
Prerna Lal of DREAM Activist writes ...: “I realize that the bill is a careful political calculation from the GOP to try to win back some Latino support,” and “I also understand that this entire charade ultimately has to do with the fact that the GOP does not want to grant citizenship to 12 million undocumented immigrants.”
Lal adds: “The GOP is driven by its anti-immigrant and white supremacist fringe, the Democrats are yet to develop a moral compass on immigrant rights but take us for granted nonetheless, our advocates in the non-profit industrial complex keep earning a paycheck due to stalemate on the issue, and undocumented youth continue to serve as mere political football to be tossed from side to side.”
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A conservative alternative seems odd. You would think that most people, and by that I mean the republicans, would want a piece of legislation coming from Congress and not just from the President (I can hear the calls against Pres. Obama for giving amnesty like people did when the administration said "prosecutorial discretion" could be used to protect certain undocumented immigrants facing deportation). It also seems odd that the GOP/Rubio would propose the president act on his own--is Rubio going to take credit for something the presidnet can do alone?
Regardless, who cares? Something needs to be done--undocumented students and allies have been calling on the president to take action (just like the one Rubio is outlining--any undocumented students getting paid for advising GOP on this? I sure hope so!).
The political system ain't working to get something through congress. Lets hope Obama takes up DREAMers' call to stop deporting DREAM Act eligble youth and offer these visas to students just like Rubio has embraced.
Marco Rubio, keep saying our name, louder, and LOUDER!
"DREAMers, I love you! DREAMERS, I LOVE YOU!" - Marco Rubio
