Brave kids protesting legal limbo.. Amy's segment on the Dream Act today.

[EFerrari]

3 Undocumented Immigrants Risk Deportation in Protest for Passage of DREAM Act



Three young immigrant rights activists are facing possible deportation after their arrest in a sit-in on Monday at the offices of Republican Senator John McCain. The protesters called on McCain to back the DREAM Act, which would grant permanent citizenship to undocumented workers’ children if they completed two years of college. The three are each undocumented immigrants, marking one of the first known instances activists have risked deportation to back immigration reform legislation. The three activists join us from Phoenix.

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/5/20/3_undocumented_immigrants_risk_deportation_to

[IndianaJoe]

1. These kids represent probably the worst aspects of the

Immigration and Nationality Act. It is totally heartless to deport people that were brought here as infants and that have been completely Americanized. To ship a kid back that has no real connection with his native country anymore is beyond draconian. It happens all the time. The Dream Act makes all kinds of sense. It should be passed unequivocally.

[EFerrari]

2. Yes. And that 's why these people are dehumanized in our media as "illegals".

Because then no one has to think about how long this country has had DADT for immigrants and how we're talking about families not burglars.

[Gormy Cuss]

6. "DADT for immigrants" -- exactly.

We as a country have ignored the obvious demand for immigration and have conveniently ignored the harm done by allowing for so many long term residents who need to live under the radar.

[EFerrari]

7. One of the kids in this video is gay and he'd be deported to Iran.

[TK421]

13. then he is dead n/t

[laconicsax]

3. K&R

[suffragette]

4. K&R

[sabrina 1]

5. There should be separate laws dealing with

children who were brought here when they were too young to make a decision themselves. Many came when they were babies, or toddlers.

Most civilized countries deal differently with children, (we used to) when it comes to laws. Eg, child soldiers are treated as children, and not 'enemy combatants' in International Law and are supposed to be rehabilitated. The U.S. has shamed itself in the treatment of child soldiers against those laws.

We are also one of the few countries to try children as adults in our frenzy to be 'tough on crime'.

What is sad is that we are so willing to abandon principles whenever we are tested.

Immigrant children did not do anything wrong and when they are old enough to realize they are not Americans, they are too afraid to do anything about it.

Therefore a law that protects them from deportation if they can provide proof, maybe requiring that they apply for citizenship or legal status when they turn 18 should be introduced to solve this problem.

[EFerrari]

8. We suck the life out of these families and throw them away when we're done.

Just like we do with veterans, as we do with so many groups.

We need immigration reform now. Tearing teenagers away from their families, deporting them and tossing them into a country that they don't know is not a solution that any American can feel good about.

[sabrina 1]

9. Maybe the country was always like this, but

I thought Democrats were the protectors of human rights. This country's treatment of human beings, mostly powerless people, is a disgrace on so many levels.

ICE's record of abuse, including torture and murder, should make any civilized country stop and review what they are doing. But as far as I know, no one has ever been prosecuted for the deaths of nearly 100 (that we know of) immigrants in the custody of ICE. If we have so little regard for those lives, how can this country dare critize, as it has, other countries for their human rights abuses?

But judging by the tepid reaction to torture, even the justifications from 'progressives', it's hard to expect much compassion for anyone, unless they are rich and powerful.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. One of them is from here

I don't know her but I know who she is.

This is just so incredibly sad.

[EFerrari]

12. All three framed their action in terms of the youth they work with.

That's something you never hear from the hate side of this issue.

[Bluebear]

11. They are "welcome to return" to their native lands.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8378001&mesg_id=8378887

:silly: