Managing
partner, Wildes & Weinberg P.C.;
Former
Mayor of Englewood, NJ
Will Governor
Cuomo Seize A Major
Opportunity With The DREAM Act?
Posted:
04/ 2/2012 7:28 am
Governor Cuomo's
surprising silence on the New York DREAM Act is business as usual for
many elected officials, but it's disappointing coming from him. The
Senate bill and its companion legislation in the Assembly would
provide financial assistance to immigrant students of illegal status
who meet established criteria.
The chief executive
of the Empire State, who was heralded for his leadership on same-sex
marriage less than a year ago, is sitting noticeably on the sidelines
when it comes to immigration reform. Being that the Governor has not
publicly supported the DREAM Act legislation, many wondered whether
it would be included in the budget as an addition to the Tuition
Assistance Program
(TAP) - at a relatively modest $17
million expense
to the state.
But, an agreement
for the budget was reached with no such provision for TAP included,
leaving immigrant residents of New York with a familiar feeling:
disappointment.
It is a strange
departure from the apparent understanding Governor Cuomo has of
investing resources to improve infrastructure throughout the state.
What about an investment in the most critical infrastructure we have
- people?
Surely, support from
over a third of the state's Senators
and Assemblypersons,
as well as the full backing
of Mayor Bloomberg, Senator Gillibrand, and City Council Speaker
Christine Quinn, provides the Governor all the political cover he
needs to support the bill. Perhaps the Governor feels that getting
the necessary votes from Republicans would burn too much political
capital, something he is not willing to do with the Minimum Wage
legislation on deck.
We remember the
Marriage Equality Act was passed at the close of session last June
with considerable concessions from the Governor to conservatives to
get it done. I suspect that if this bill does become law, it will be
done in much the same way. This is far from a guarantee. Let us also
remember Harry Reid trying to insert the federal DREAM Act in at the
close of session in late December 2010, only to fail in getting it
passed.
The best chance for
passage is for three Republican Senators representing large immigrant
populations to put their support behind the bill. Namely, Lee Zeldin,
Jack Martins, and Carl Marcellino - all of whom represent districts
on Long Island with strong Hispanic populations. With three months
left in session and the Minimum Wage and Hydrofracking among the few
pieces of major legislation on the docket this year, the hope is that
something can still get done in the next few months.
It is well-known
that there is more in play here: a possible Presidential run in 2016.
However, I see this as a reason to get something done rather than a
reason not to.
With the Obama
Administration deporting people in record
numbers
and GOP candidates routinely one-upping one another in terms of how
insensitive they can be to the wishes of the Hispanic electorate, one
might see this as time of great opportunity for a rising star of the
Democratic Party. With his track record in just his first two years
in office, he would at once be able to rally a disillusioned
progressive base with his endorsement of marriage equality and a
dejected Hispanic electorate clamoring for their voices to be heard.
This is an
opportunity not only for Andrew Cuomo, but for the United States as a
whole. Immigration is in our DNA, it is a vital stitch in the fabric
of America from coast to coast. When we have the opportunity to do
the right thing we have an obligation to seize it. It is our charge
as citizens to make it known that this is important to us and we
expect our elected officials to provide the leadership in making it
happen.
"From her
beacon-hand glows world-wide welcome."
May the light never
go out.
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