This past Thursday, the New York State Youth Leadership Council (NYSYLC) held a series of coordinated actions, which targeted Senator Charles Schumer (D – NY) for his inaction on the passage of the DREAM Act. The request of the group was simple: respond to the voices of immigrant youth who would highlight the benefits of the DREAM Act and most importantly, move forward immediately with the DREAM Act as a stand-alone bill.
We have been working on behalf of the passage of the DREAM Act for many years; we have written letters, made phone calls, met with staff, built coalitions, walked over 250 miles to Washington, DC, and, over the last 10 days, starved. This struggle began when most of us were in high school and learned a truth that would jeopardize our future. Through no fault of our own, we found ourselves in a country we’ve come to know as our own but doesn’t recognize our presence. As college graduates, we’ve accomplished many of our dreams and those of our parents, but still not considered worthy enough to contribute to our adopted country. We believed in the American dream that if one works and studies hard, and contributes positively to society, that society would come to not only accept us, but would embrace us.
We understand that the trauma and struggles endured by our immigrant communities goes far beyond what the DREAM Act would fix. We understand this because we live it. We live separated from loved ones, watch our parents work hard in poor, unsafe conditions for low wages, and fear the apprehension and deportation of our families daily. So if and when there is a proposal for reform of the immigration system that would address all of the issues that we, our families and our communities face, the New York State Youth Leadership Council would fully be in support and let it be known that we would be present then as we are now. Yet absent this real possibility, immigrant communities are united on this point: We all want the DREAM Act and we want it now! Parents came to this country to provide for their families and to offer their children opportunities. Therefore, the priority of every immigrant family is the future of their children. We do not personally know of any parent that wants the DREAM Act, and the dreams of their children, to be held back for the slim chance of a comprehensive immigration reform package sometime in the future. Our parents and our communities value their children and young people and want us now more than ever to have a chance to pursue our dreams. Our legislators and leaders of national organizations would do well to do the same.
This is the year for the DREAM Act. Enough immigrant youth have been denied their dreams. Many of us have been separated from our families and are at risk for deportation. Some of our peers have returned to lands they no longer remember. Some of us risk possible death or torture due to our religious and political beliefs, sexual orientation, or civil strife in our countries of birth. All of us seek the opportunity to contribute to this country and the people we have come to love. Failure is inconceivable. Waiting is unjust. No more youth should suffer while politicians and special interest groups play with our futures for another ten years. The members of the NYSYLC know full well what it takes to pass the DREAM Act now. We are escalating our actions of peaceful resistance to show that our lives in their current state are unbearable and to force this reality upon those who represent us and have the power to reform the systems that affect our lives and our futures.
Ten members of the NYSYLC held a hunger strike outside of Senator Schumer’s office from June 1st to June 10th of 2010. During this time, Senator Schumer did not acknowledge the immigrant youth starving at his doorstep nor did Senator Schumer’s staff formally meet with the youth, not even once. Meanwhile, Senator Schumer, his top aides, and leaders of the Reform Immigration for America (RI4A) campaign, did find time to conduct a meeting regarding the DREAM Act and other immigration reform proposals on June 9th. While students were starving to have their voices heard, the meeting attendees did not consider to include even a single youth voice at the table. This is unacceptable and reprehensible. Immigration advocates should know better than use the struggle of immigrant youth to move forward their own agenda, and should assure that young voices are always included in this ongoing conversation. The job of our advocates is not to speak for us, but to bring our voices into the conversation.
On June 10th, we held simultaneous actions, which consisted of sit-ins at Senator Schumer’s offices in Washington, DC and Melville, Long Island, and a rally and press conference at the New York City office. In Long Island, the students were arrested for refusing to leave without any concrete agreements from Senator Schumer. In New York City, the youth were not allowed to enter the building in order to meet with staff, as they had requested, and therefore held a die-in on the sidewalk, surrounded by New York police officers and anti-terrorism squad. In Washington, DC, the students sat in for five hours, during which time they were informed by Senator Schumer and his top immigration aide, Leon Fresco, that the Senator would not publicly support the DREAM Act as a stand-alone bill until the students themselves secure all 60 votes needed for passage, without any assistance from the Senator. In perhaps the most controversial part of the conversation, the students were personally told by Senator Schumer, that he would not work to gain support for the DREAM Act as a stand-alone bill because the leaders of RI4A had asked him not to, and that the students were not included in the meeting that had taken place the previous day because RI4A refused to have them at the table. We cannot be certain whether Senator Schumer is accurately portraying the sentiment of the leaders of RI4A or if it was dishonest attempt to divide our movement. In the interest of transparency, we have made public the information we had received to hold Senator Schumer and the RI4A leadership accountable to the immigrant communities they represent. We are also aware of statements that have been made after the fact by all the parties involved. However, we find it unacceptable that anger has been directed at us simply for disclosing the information we received, and we encourage those organizations who have made statements in this vein to reconsider their position and speak strongly in support of the Dream Act as a standalone bill, as well as ask Senator Schumer to be honest and forthright with immigrant communities.
The following are our asks moving forward:
RI4A, if Senator Schumer had misunderstood or misstated your position, please clarify publicly. If no specific request was made to include youth regarding the DREAM Act and this was simply an oversight, please arrange for us to be included in meetings involving Senator Schumer, Senator Durbin, and Senator Reid. We do not believe that this is an unreasonable request given that this matter affects our lives.
Senator Schumer, if what you share with us is not accurate, or if we misunderstood, please explain to your constituents why you are holding the DREAM Act hostage, or, preferably when and how you will move the DREAM Act forward. And as a point of respect to the young activists that were starving on your doorstep, please explain why you turned a blind eye and deaf ear rather than meet with them even for a minute to hear what they wanted to share with you and why they were willing to put their well-being on the line for that opportunity.
Sincerely,
The New York State Youth Leadership Council
2 comments
Gladiator2k10 says:
June 15, 2010 at 1:12 am (UTC -5)
Eric Balderas is a DREAM student facing deportation proceedings. He is a Harvard student. Harvard president Drew Faust completely supports the DREAM Act, sign a letter calling politicians to have the DREAM Act as a stand alone bill.
America do you want to waste a talent like Balderas? If the politicians represent the will of the people, then, Balderas I feel for you, but the law is the law. Life is above all else. Above money, above power, above bickering between parties. Our politicians need to understand, the urgency of the issue. DREAM students can't afford to wait any longer.
They graduate high school with such promise, but its promise thats all. Some are lucky and pursue a college education. Many become professionals, but they are reduced to hard labor in order to survive. Pick onions under the hot Arizonan sun, frame houses with mechanical engineering degrees. America' greatness was not founded on the this. I listen every night on talk shows, don't they understand they are illegal. I ask them do you understand the harshness of reality outside the US. Don't you understand the adversity that DREAM students face? Don't you understand the improbability of a kid from Herecuaro, Guanajuato, Mexico obtaining a college education? When no-one is his family by all accounts no-one is his town obtain a college education.
I ask America, do you really afford to waste DREAM students when India and China graduate 4 engineers to your 1? DREAMers swear loyalty to America, because they are Amercans. When will human beings understand that home is where your heart is, not where you are born.
I fully support CIR above all else, but we have ran out of time. The DREAM Act is the only plausible legislation that will alleviate our situation. It will produce hope, it will be the first to the ultimate goal of equal rights. It will allow for the dreams of millions of parents to come true, their children having a chance at a life, that they only dream-pt of.
Senator Schumer, I am completely disgusted on how you handle the fasting and immigration reform meeting. If you want to know how DREAM students feel? What they think? Ask them, they where on your front step. Instead you denied their voice. You denied their existence, when you did not acknowledge their presence.
Once, we have the 60 senate votes you will support the DREAM Act as a stand alone? Why would we need you in that case. You are an elected official, who should fight for his people. Well here is your chance to step up to the plate and do what is just. The DREAM Act as a stand alone bill now, no more talking. No more denying our existence of the DREAM Act movement.
_OrLa_ says:
June 19, 2010 at 1:31 am (UTC -5)
Hello dreamers, activistas and visionaries,
I just wanted to write a quick note saying how proud I am for what you are doing and how you are going about it, in the face of some nasty moves from our very own allies in arms, and that makes it all the more difficult. But nonetheless, your actions and words have been inspiring, I know for me to watch, and I know they must be for so many others. You are doing the work that so many of us have been unwilling to do and for that I thank you but also can no longer just stand back and watch.
This debate about whether or not we should be moving Dream forward as stand-alone or stick to the all or nothing approach can get very nasty, but I do stand with you on the need to move this movement in a different direction, at the very least this bill, which does not deserve to be held up any longer. The larger movement has nothing to gain from it, if it does, except further disappointment. Unfortunately, some leaders seem to think this is a good thing, fearing that winning anything for anyone will somehow reduce our morale and determination to win even more! Granted, some people may get what they want and bail (or at least take a nice long, well-deserved break!), but more people will see what you've done and want to fight even harder. Yes, in sheer numbers, we may lose some of the undocumented population (not like we aren't losing them already with deportations!), but in sheer determination and heart, we'll be gaining even more. We'll be learning how to confront our fear of deportation, and how in doing this we tap into a kind of power we didn't even think we were capable of just four or five years ago. And in doing this, you guys are at the forefront of the kinds of civil disobedience that are available to undocumented people.
Since history comes up sometimes in these discussions and now with a hunger strike, you guys have invoked Cesar Chavez, I started looking him up. Here's what he says on the issue of power and money:
"Money is not going to organize the disadvantaged, the powerless, or the poor. We need other weapons. That's why the War on Poverty is such a miserable failure. You put out a big pot of money, and all you do is fight over it. Then you run out of money and you run out of troops. It's just like those revolutions. If you haven't got the money, you haven't got the troops." (Cesar Chavez: An Organizer's Tale, 128)
Nothing against revolutions, but I just wish the Mr. Noorani's and Mr. Moneybags of this movement would understand something about this. They want to go for the big, easy money, instead of organizing the middle-class and the poor, the people who are really going to support our movement in the end. All that other money is eventually going to run out. That's what Chavez says, and I think that in this instance at least, we should listen to him.
But I didn't just want to give my two cents on that; what I really wanted to give, was this:
"When you sacrifice, you force others to sacrifice. It's an extremely powerful weapon. When somebody stops eating for a week or ten days, people come and want to be part of that experience. Someone goes to jail and people want to help him. You don't buy that with money. That doesn't have a price in terms of dollars."
Those who are willing to sacrifice and be of service have very little difficulty with people. They know what they are all about. People can't help but want to be near them–to help them and work with them. That's what love is all about. It starts with you and radiates out. You can't phony it. It just doesn't go. When you work and sacrifice more than anyone else around you, you put others on the spot and they have to do at least a bit more than they've been doing. And that's what puts it together." (129)
When I read that, I realized, damn, that's what you guys did to me. I had stopped paying attention, but with that hunger strike, I could no longer just push this out of my mind. So many of us could not. We were faced to choose between doing more or just going on with our lives. I've chosen to do more and I know, in my gut, that many thousands have as well.
In that sense, you are absolutely right, your hunger strike has already been a success. Not only that, many of you are already living in your dream. You are uplifting a movement, you are making history. What a bigger dream is there than that? So, aside from all that, all I really wanted to say was that this is our movement, this is our Causa! Let's embrace it. And even if we do win the Dream Act this summer like so many of us want, let's not forget about our families and our communities!
Let's dream forward. Let's keep up the fight!
Much love from Ithaca, NY
Orlando Lara
Undocumented at Heart