Teens Lobby Hill For New Immigration Bill
"Dream Act" Would Give Kids Of Illegal Immigrants A Path To Citizenship Through College Or The Military
-
Play CBS Video
Video
Immigration Bill Is A 'Dream'
The Dream Act could help illegal immigrant children gain citizenship, but critics still call it amnesty. Kelly Cobiella reports.
-
Photo
Alex, left, and Juan Gomez were brought to the U.S. from Colombia by their parents when the boys were 2 and 3. They hope to be able to stay in the country through the Dream Act, which will be debated in Congress next month. (CBS)
-
Photo Essay
Immigration Rallies
Demonstrators demand path to citizenship for estimated 12 million illegal immigrants.
-
Interactive
Immigration And Naturalization
Who's coming to America? Find out what's being done to screen for terrorists and take a citizenship quiz.
Last week the brothers woke up to the reality of how different they are, reports CBS News correspondent Kelly Cobiella.
The Gomez family was swept up in a pre-dawn immigration raid in Miami.
"That just took us by storm. We had no idea," said Juan.
The Gomez brothers are illegal immigrants, brought to the U.S. from Colombia by their parents when the boys were 2 and 3.
Asked if he remembers anything from Colombia, Juan says no. "We were too young — our most distant memories are from here."
So are their most loyal friends, teenagers who took the fight to stop the brothers' deportation to Congress this week.
"They're lobbying for Juan and Alex, and a bill called the Dream Act," said one teen.
"To help these brothers, but more importantly to help so many others, because we finally put a face on the problem," Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., told the teens.
The Dream Act would give some 65,000 high school graduates who came to the U.S. illegally as children a path to citizenship by completing either two years of either college or military service. The bill has been around for years, but will come up again in September, and faces the same resistance from opponents of immigration reform, who call this "educational amnesty."
"Just because somebody may be smart doesn't mean they should be exempt from the law," says Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-Calif. "Just because somebody is liked a lot doesn't mean the laws should be broken or ignored."
"It was our parents that made the choices for us," says Alex. "Why should we be punished for their mistakes?"
Juan and Alex Gomez were given a reprieve from deportation until mid-September. If the Dream Act doesn't pass by then, they'll have to adjust to a new home in a country they can't even remember.
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Video and Galleries from CBS Evening News
- Latest in CBS Evening News
- The Story Behind the Skating Babies
- Sagging Sales, Even in a Beach Paradise
- Grief, Outrage over Grave Desecrations



- 1
- 2
- next
See all 93 CommentsSimple, the parents broke the law with full knowledge of the consequences. These kids appear to be exceptional, focused, literate and success oriented. That however cannot be a consideration. They are illegal, and that is the end of the discussion. Why wasn't some action taken years ago to correct this? Maybe they are proponents of La Raza with no intention of becoming citizens? We have to enforce the laws on immigration or there is no deterrent. Maybe a few more of these in the headlines will make these illegal aliens regret what they have done and motivate legal immigration. Let the chips fall where they may. How much tax money and free lunches went into these two? Who paid for their healthcare all these years? This Dream Act is a bunch of garbage. We have plenty of citizens in this country who would appreciate a free education or in-state tuition. Enough of this entitlement mentality for these criminals. Deport them all and the sooner the better. Send them to the University of Guadalajara. No amnesty of any kind.
Some of us once had dreams of our own.
Back in the 60%u2019s the Federal Government came into the public schools and brainwashed us as little children with the message that the children we were about to have were unwanted because the population was rising so fast. They launched a program called, %u201CZero Population Growth%u201D. They pushed Family Planning and birth control pills. I think you and I now both know that you only have to trick people for their few child bearing years and there is no going back.
I am the result of two living cells. One from each of my parents. They are the result of two living cells, one from each of their parents. I wasn't just born. I am a continuation of life. I am a living thing that reaches back into time perhaps 400 million years and the result of billions of joining of pairs of cells. It is possible that if you were to follow my
cells back to my parent%u2019s cells and beyond that my family tree touches every living thing here on earth. That is if we limit ourselves to believing life was created here on earth. If it rained down from the immensity of the universe it could reach back into that immensity of time and space, and who knows what relationships and who knows what species.
The open border, United States laws only apply to some, is a serious slap in the face. No, not a slap in the face, it reaches well beyond that. Maybe back to the beginning of time and stretch to the bounds of the universe.
A GOD ABOVE LAW
Lawmakers seen possessed, obsessed by something to promote and advertise illegal activity, illegal immigration.
Why is this?
but they don't get to keep the cash. Idiot.
Make them officer if the do college.....if not let them do their 2 years...they are smart they will figure out which one will get them where they want to go...One question CBS did not ask again...where are the parents? And how did these two brothers get their education? How was it paid for..hard work or freebies?
After the ideal illegal student is legalized then his illegal parents get to be legalized also & guess who pay the benefits for illegals and their low-skilled relatives? American taxpayers!
This is more social engineering by the likes of Ted Kennedy to bring America to her knees, to third world status. Get ready to tell your Congressman no more amnesties! They just don't get it---we're informed, ready to make sure these Representatives and Senators do not get re-elected because they have chosen to turn their backs on legal US citizens in favor of third world invaders!!!
ILLEGALS PAY TAXES TOO!!!!!! ARE YOU DEAF?
ILLEGALS PAY TAXES TOO!!!!!! ARE YOU DEAF?
HOW THE HELL COULD THEY GET AWAY WITHOUT PAYING TAXES?
BLIND CONSERVATIVE:"Ah because they're illegal."
SANE PERSON: "There is no way that the IRS would allow anyone to get away with not paying Taxes."
Posted by SpikeEx at 01:55 AM : Aug 05, 2007
It doesn't matter how much you try to explain it to these people they are in total denial of the facts. The fact is these guys are racists bound and determined to shoot down whatever bill congress attempts to pass that allows a path to citizenship for the undocumented immigrant. Why? because they are different. Racism pure and simple.
If you speak out against illegal invaders from Mexico in our country and want them deported, you are a racist and insensitive to their needs. If you speak out against the Islamic culture and demonstrate it's incompatibility with American culture, you are labeled a racist and Islamophobic and must be silenced. You cannot be allowed to oppose the future voter base of the Democratic Party.
http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/24813.html
illegals will never cover the cost of what they expect to recieve in services that are paid for by those of us who REALLY pay - the middle class. They fall FAR short of paying their part of what it takes to be a democracy in a capitalist country.
Our own kids are not able to afford a college education UNTIL we all become economically equal to those who do so now or expect it in the future. In other words- the middle class child will have no college education until their parents are taxed into poverty. We pay for the elitist via corporate welfare and we pay the way for those who claim "poverty" and "minority" status. The poor pay little or no taxes - they often recieve REFUNDS at the beginning of each year while the rest of us flail into bankruptcy.
No welfare, free education or medical until they TENURE - say 10 years. You do not come to a new country making demands for others to support you. ---
For the University of Massachusetts, the difference between out-of-state and in-state tuition is about $9,000. If, as some claim, there are 400 illegal immigrants who would attend UMass if this bill became law, the cost to the taxpayers would be $14.4 million over four years
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/11/08/an_unfair_reward_for_illegal_immigrants/
http://www.house.gov/feeney/wwwblog/index.shtml
As the vote came to a close last night, Republicans say the scoreboard read 215-213, meaning the measure passed. But when Rep. Michael McNulty, D-N.Y., gaveled it down he said the measure failed 214-214, and had lost. There was all sorts of chaos, and House Democrats being pressured to change their votes, all of it visible on C-SPAN (and now HERE).%u201D
The Republican MTR would recommit H.R. 3161 to the Committee on Appropriations with instructions to report the same back to the House promptly with an amendment to:
prohibit any funds in the bill from being used to employ an alien who is not authorized to be employed in the U.S.
prohibit any funds in the bill from being used for rental housing assistance programs to provide assistance for an alien not authorized to receive such assistance per 213A of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Watch the chaos for yourself here:
Taxes is not the issue. There is a proper way to enter the U.S.A. There is an improper way. It should not matter if they were 2 or 20 when they illegally into the U.S.A.
I really don't understand the whole thing.
You apply, get accepted, come to the U.S.A.
You don't apply, then you get sent home asap.
Sort of like getting a drivers licenses.
You apply, pass the test. You can drive on most any road out there.
Don't apply, don't pass the test. You get arrested if you are driving on most any road.
Why should this be any different?
It is really that simple.
You apply, get accepted, come to the U.S.A.
xxxxx
I don't understand either.
We have honest folks that have the "dream" also.
They apply - WAIT for their application to be finalized and get a permit to work in this country. Not only THAT but - they also have to have a sponsor - *no problem for the mexicans as there are plenty who will accept responsiblity/accountability for them*.
A sponsor insures that if they commit a crime or induce damage they will be responsible; if they aren't, then the sponsor is. Simple - easy ?
Any politician who truly believes in offering the dream so freely and with concern for those already here will sponsor a dozen families.
It still doesn't help the thousands that are already waiting for their opportunity at the "dream" - but it will make sure our kids aren't killed in a car wreck and we end up losing everything we own in paying for their crime because the immigrant (guaranteed dual citizen with no TRUE patriotism) will flee the country.
College would be paid for by tax payers or grants and military would reward with lucrative sign-bonuses...yes or no?
I have no problem with illegal immigrants going into the service...without sign on bonuses...and coming out citizens. No problem. The service is no walk-in-the-park right now and most of the military is composed of young men and women without wealthy families or high profile connections to scoot them into careers. Anyone willing to take up OUR flag and fight for us should be considered one of US.
They are determined to put a face on what? They are still illegal. They benefited from an education they didn't pay for...and skip the 'they pay taxes every time they buy products' because the majority of illegals patronize their own businesses and most of those operate under the radar. If they pay sales taxes it's incidental. Those who file taxes claim so many dependants they usually end up with refunds...and the majority of those who file are doing so under false identities they can't even remember 5 minutes after leaving the preparer's office because they use multiple identities.
It's yet another attempt to squeeze amnesty into law.
If they broke our sovereign law, and entered this country illegally they should be deported. No exceptions!
It is still a felony to aid and abet any illegal aliens. Federal Immigration and Nationality Act Section 8 USC 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv)(b)(iii)
Hire U.S. citizen taxpayer workers and pay a reasonable, living wage with benefits and then your business will run smoothly. Employers need to start to look over their shoulder from now on, because THE PEOPLE are watching.
As a citizen of this country and a patriot, use your eyes and ears to detect suspicious circumstances in your work-place or elsewhere. It really is your duty as an American to report illegal aliens who are working on a stolen or otherwise fraudulent I.D, especially in large corporations, factories or other work-sites. You can help to save the jobs of U.S. citizens. Our internal Immigration enforcement like (ICE) should be contacted. Be a whistleblower and save America from the silent invasion. This phenomena is not going away, unless we do our part?
http://www.ice.gov/about/contact.htm
http://outragedpatriots.com
www.judicialwatch.org
YOU TOO CAN STOP THE SILENT INVASION, BY CONTACTING (ICE) Immigration & Customs Enforcement
Pass this information onto all patriots & Activists!
- 1
- 2
- next
See all 93 Comments