Republican Jon Lerner and his Basswood Research team have conducted a poll in twenty Republican-controlled swing districts, and the results have revealed that voters want Congressmen to make a definitive deal on immigration reform rapidly.
The poll revealed that 70% of voters wanted citizenship for undocumented immigrants, 80% wanted a better electronic worker verification system, and 78% wanted the passing of the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act, if passed, would allow adults brought into the country as children to achieve citizenship. The longer the House of Representatives (controlled by Republicans) ponders on this issue, the more difficult it will be for the Republican Representatives Jeff Denham and David Valadao to be re-elected. Both immigrants and Republican Representatives alike are awaiting their fate.
Denham and Valadao signed a Democratic immigration bill that would put many illegal immigrants in the United States on their way to citizenship. Tea Party food stamp promoter Steve Southerland (whose position is also endangered by this pending immigration crisis) has been personally influenced by an immigrant at a town hall into leaning towards a pro-immigration citizenship stance.
The DREAM Act has many adult immigrants vying for a common dream; a chance at U.S. legal citizenship. Michele Rudy, a worker in the after school program for teens who have moved into this country illegally as children, stated “They are who they are because of their parents, so they want to fight for their parents as well. There has been a big shift in the dream movement.” Reyna Montoya, another DREAMer, has claimed, “Our parents cannot wait. We have been able to get our stories out. It is time for our parents to get their stories out that they are not what some think they are. They are hardworking individuals. We are not asking for something to be handed to us. We are working for it.” Montoya’s father was put into deportation earlier because of his immigrant status. Many issues lie in the ethical aspects of legalization of immigration citizenship, as many people have prejudices against immigrants.
The fates of thousands of immigrants in the United States lie in the passing of the DREAM Act and other related immigration reforms. The GOP has much influence in these proceedings, and with their support it is possible that they will be able to pass a reform act that will benefit both the immigrants and the members of the GOP.
