Broad Group Asks Senator Brown to Support DREAM Act

Students join with reps from academia, faith & government at Boston City Hall

Ada Fuentes, Boston City Councilor Felix Arroyo, and Renata Teodoro

BOSTON -- A broad coalition of government, faith, community and higher education leaders gathered at Boston City Hall on Monday morning to ask Senator Scott Brown to change his opposition to the DREAM Act, a bill that passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday and now faces the prospect of a Republican-led filibuster in the Senate.

The DREAM Act creates a pathway to citizenship, via two years of college study or service in the military, for undocumented youth brought here as children. "It gives us the opportunity to be the best of who we are," said Brinton Lykes, Professor of Psychology and Associate Director of the Center for Human Rights and International Justice at Boston College." That is, to recognize, even in these difficult times, that individual effort may still lead to success."

The speakers touched on a range of reasons for supporting DREAM, from the $2.3 billion in estimated new tax revenues it would generate, to the simple fact that, as former Chairman of the Board of Higher Education Aaron Spencer noted, "It is not American to punish people for the crimes and misdeeds of others."

After opening remarks by Eva Millona, Executive Director of MIRA, and a prayer for DREAM by Father Thomas Domorat, of the Most Holy Redeemer Parish in East Boston, Boston City Councilor Felix Arroyo rose to speak of the clear necessity of honoring the pleas of students brought to this country as children and now left without any options. "They are as American and feel as American as those of us born in this country," Councilor Arroyo said, pointing to moderator Ada Fuentes, who only learned she was undocumented at age 17. "Now we are respectfully asking Senator Scott Brown to change his mind and vote for the DREAM Act."

Patricia Montes, Executive Director of Centro Presente, looked back to Senator Brown's campaign, when he stressed he was running for "the people's chair." Calls to the Senator's office, Montes said, were running five to one in favor of DREAM. "Now, Senator Brown, we ask you to please listen to what the people are saying and support the DREAM Act."

The event was closed by Renata Teodoro of the Student Immigrant Movement, who outlined the work that SIM has done to encourage support for DREAM. "We've gotten this far," Teodoro said. "Now the rest is up to Senator Brown."