Joe Baca Signals Sea Change In Approach To Immigration Reform
In what I interpret to be a major shift in the politics of immigration reform Joe Baca (D-CA) recently co-sponsored the DREAM Act.
As I've mentioned multiple times, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) is one of the biggest barriers to passing the DREAM Act as a down payment on comprehensive immigration reform. If members of the CHC who do not co-sponsor the DREAM Act are obstructionists, then Joe Baca has been a king obstructionist. Not only did he refuse to co-sponsor the DREAM Act in the past, he introduced his own, worse version of the DREAM Act, the PROUD Act.
As I've mentioned multiple times, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) is one of the biggest barriers to passing the DREAM Act as a down payment on comprehensive immigration reform. If members of the CHC who do not co-sponsor the DREAM Act are obstructionists, then Joe Baca has been a king obstructionist. Not only did he refuse to co-sponsor the DREAM Act in the past, he introduced his own, worse version of the DREAM Act, the PROUD Act.
There are still many other members of the CHC who have not co-sponsored
the DREAM Act. Namely: John T.
Salazar (D-CO), Dennis Cardoza
(D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Albio Sirez (D-NJ). Most
outrageous is the fact that CHC Chairwoman Nydia Velasquez (D-NY), has
refused to co-sponsor the DREAM Act.
Furthermore, co-sponsoring the DREAM Act does not mean the CHC members will not continue to obstruct the DREAM Act, as Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NY) has shown us. Still, I think this signals a major sea change in the approach to immigration reform. Finally a twice failed and thrice failing all-or-nothing strategy looks like it's going to give way to smaller reforms that will strengthen our position for broader reform.
If remaining members of the CHC that haven't co-sponsored the DREAM Act refuse to help us with the bill, then they should at least get out of the way so that we can pass the bill this summer and ensure that the new generation of migrant youth graduating from high school is giving the right to exist in the only country they know as their home.
Prerna Lal has more excellent analysis on this over at Change.org.
Furthermore, co-sponsoring the DREAM Act does not mean the CHC members will not continue to obstruct the DREAM Act, as Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NY) has shown us. Still, I think this signals a major sea change in the approach to immigration reform. Finally a twice failed and thrice failing all-or-nothing strategy looks like it's going to give way to smaller reforms that will strengthen our position for broader reform.
If remaining members of the CHC that haven't co-sponsored the DREAM Act refuse to help us with the bill, then they should at least get out of the way so that we can pass the bill this summer and ensure that the new generation of migrant youth graduating from high school is giving the right to exist in the only country they know as their home.
Prerna Lal has more excellent analysis on this over at Change.org.
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