United Farm Workers President Arturo S. Rodriguez issued the following statement today (Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010) from the union’s Keene, Calif. headquarters after the U.S. Senate failed to pass the Dream Act in 55-41 vote.
On Dec. 18, the U.S. House of Representatives recognized the national interest and acted justly by voting to pass the bipartisan DREAM Act. Today, the U.S. Senate failed to overcome the dark forces of ignorance and intolerance by rejecting a qualified path to citizenship for thousands of our nation’s most promising young students who were brought to this country through no fault of their own. Nothing would contribute more to satisfying America’s pressing need for an educated work force motivated to serve 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.
Saturday’s vote on the DREAM Act was a moment of truth for each and every senator. Latino voters across America will remember this vote and especially the dearth of support for the DREAM Act among Republican lawmakers, some of whom previously backed it.
The DREAM Act would greatly benefit many of the daughters and sons of farm workers. That is why farm workers from all over the nation joined students and other activists in Washington, D.C. to lobby members of Congress and why in rural areas they called their congressional representatives.###