Justice, Peace and Sustainability |
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The IHM Leadership Council recently endorsed a sign-on letter, initiated by the National Immigration Law Center supporting the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act is bipartisan legislation that addresses the tragedy of young people who were brought to the United States years ago as undocumented immigrant children; grew up in the U.S. and have graduated from high school, but whose future is circumscribed by our current immigration laws. Under current law, these young people generally derive their immigration status solely from their parents, and if their parents are undocumented or in immigration limbo, most have no mechanism to obtain legal residency, even if they have lived most of their lives here. The DREAM Act would provide such a mechanism for those who are able to meet certain conditions. The DREAM Act would: 1.) Permit certain immigrant students who have grown up in the U.S. to apply for temporary legal status and to eventually obtain permanent status and become eligible for U.S. citizenship if they go to college or serve in the U.S. military; and 2.) Eliminate a federal provision that penalizes states that provide in-state tuition without regard to immigration status. If Congress fails to pass this legislation, another entire class of outstanding, law-abiding high school students will graduate without being able to plan for the future, and some will be removed from their homes to countries they barely know. This tragedy will cause America to lose a vital asset: an educated class of promising immigrant students who have demonstrated a commitment to hard work and a strong desire to be contributing members of our society.
March 10, 2010 The IHM Leadership Council recently endorsed a sign-on letter, intiated by Pax Christi USA, urging President Obama to embrace a fundamental reorientation of our nuclear posture away from indefinite deterrence and toward elimination of nuclear weapons. In the IHM Congregational Stance on Peacemaking/Disarmament (Assembly 1980) the IHM Community committed itself to "work with others of the human community to raise consciousness about and to resist the evils of the arms race and increased militarization throughout the world." This letter was endorsed with this stance in mind.
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