Amnesty proponents are petulant after the New York state Senate and Gov. Andrew Cuomo rejected the “DREAM Act,” which would have provided in-state tuition to undocumented students.
“It’s deja vu all over again. Another year and the same outcome thanks to the intolerant views perpetuated by the Senate majority,” bill sponsor Democrat State Sen. Jose Peralta said in a statement. “They rather promote fear-mongering propaganda that the sky will fall if we, as a state, help the children of undocumented immigrants to obtain a higher education.”
Meanwhile, activists launched a hunger strike until the state meets their demands.
#Dreamers hunger striking for the NY Dream Act @monaeltahawy @TelemundoNews @latism @joseiswriting @ri4a pic.twitter.com/RhJdvvfn2q
— DRM Action Coalition (@DRMAction) March 26, 2015
NY Dreamers hunger striking 4 NY Dream Act @maggieNYT @AbogadaLatina @TheJuanWilliams @baratunde @latinorebels @SEIU pic.twitter.com/WnJmQKbzGp
— DRM Action Coalition (@DRMAction) March 26, 2015
“We’re willing not to eat,” one of the protesters, Monica Sibri, says.
“We’re willing to give up on that because this means everything. We can’t do anything without an education.”
“Like most New Yorkers, he doesn’t believe taxpayers should cover the cost of free college tuition for illegal immigrants while hardworking, middle-class families here legally take out student loans that will take them years to repay,” Scott Reif, a spokesman for Republican Senate majority leader Dean Skelos, tells the New York Times.
“Right now, two of the ‘three men in the room’ negotiating the budget understand the importance of the DREAM Act and how it will benefit this state. Unfortunately, one of the three men has his head stuck in the sand,” Assemblyman Francisco Moya said of Skelos, according to the Queens Chronicle.
“On the campaign trail, Gov. Cuomo made a pact with the people of New York — he said he would make sure the DREAM Act was signed into law.”
The estimated cost of providing in-state tuition to illegals was $27 million.
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