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Press Release

LULAC Advocates Canvass Congress Calling for Comprehensive Immigration Reform and Reauthorization of the DREAM Act .

March 8, 2007

Contact:
Lizette Jenness Olmos 202-833-6130 ext.16

Washington, DC - The League of United Latin American Citizens, the oldest and largest Hispanic civil rights membership organization in the United States, held its Annual Advocacy Day along with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), visiting Members of Congress and Senators discussing important issues such as immigration, health, minimum wage and education.

“LULAC advocates came to Washington, DC in order to be heard on issues that are pertinent to the Hispanic community,” said LULAC National President Rosa Rosales. “We visited the offices of Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) and Senator Hilary Clinton (D-NY) and received positive responses from Congress to issues that impact the Hispanic community.”

The meetings gave advocates an opportunity to discuss concerns and set priorities with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Senator Hilary Clinton (D-NY), Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM), Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus among others.

“LULAC discussed the DREAM Act in our Congressional meetings and based upon then positive feedback we received, we believe it will pass this year,” said Rosales.

Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and Richard Lugar (R-IN) reintroduced the American DREAM Act, S. 774 on Tuesday. Its introduction comes just two weeks after the House’s introduction of HR 1275 sponsored by Lincoln Diaz Balart (R-FL), Howard Berman (D-CA), and RoyalAllard (D-CA).

Each year 65,000 promising high school students are denied access to higher education. Without legal status, their doors are immediately closed, despite having lived the majority of their life in the United States, learned English, volunteered in their communities, and successfully graduated from high school. Please click here to see latest action alert.

The League of United Latin American Citizens, the oldest and largest Hispanic membership organization in the country, advances the economic conditions, educational attainment, political influence, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide..

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