REP. CALVERT PUTS AMERICAN AND LEGAL RESIDENT STUDENTS FIRST, VOTES AGAINST THE DREAM ACT
Washington,
Thursday, December 09, 2010 -
Last night Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) voted against the so-called DREAM Act. The DREAM Act would provide legal status to individuals brought here illegally by their parents if they have a high school diploma and will enroll in college or enlist in the military. The bill passed the House 216 to 198.
“There is no doubt that the illegal status of people brought here as children is an emotional and humanitarian issue,” said Rep. Calvert. “However, I could not place the needs of those who are not legal ahead of the many students who are here legally and must compete for the limited space available in our state schools and for limited scholarship dollars. Furthermore, I think it is a dangerous precedent to offer legal status if a person serves in our military. Our military is an all-volunteer force that should not be comprised of people who, through the DREAM Act, and as a result of their service, receive legal status.
“Providing legal status to the estimated two million students also provides a pathway to legal status for all their relatives back home. Our economy simply cannot handle a large influx of people looking for work when we are experiencing high unemployment and economic stagnation.”
The DREAM Act will give illegal students access to in-state tuition rates at public universities, federal student loans, and federal work-study programs. Aliens granted amnesty by the DREAM Act will have the legal right to petition for entry of their family members, including their adult brothers and sisters and the parents who illegally brought or sent them to the United States, once they become naturalized U.S. citizens. In less than a decade, this reality could easily double or triple the more than 2.1 million green cards that will he immediately distributed as a result of the DREAM Act (Source: Senate Judiciary Committee, Minority Office).
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