United Farm Workers President Arturo S. Rodriguez issued the following statement from the union’s Keene, Calif. headquarters calling on leaders in Congress to pass the Dream Act, which is set for a vote in the Senate tomorrow (Saturday, Dec. 18).
Saturday’s vote on the DREAM Act will be a moment of truth for each and every senator. Nothing will contribute more to satisfying America’s pressing need for an educated work force dedicated to serving country and community.
The DREAM Act, a bipartisan bill supported by 66 percent of the American people, would enable young people who came to the country as children but lack legal immigration status to enlist in the U.S. military or attend college on their way to becoming full U.S. citizens. Seventy-five percent of Latino voters say passing the DREAM Act in short order is either extremely important or very important to them.
The Dream bill will greatly benefit many of the daughters and sons of farm workers. Farm workers from all over the nation joined students and other activists in Washington, D.C. to lobby members of Congress. In rural areas, they called their congressional representatives.