Immigrant Youth Denounce Governor Brown’s Veto of TRUST Act and Using Dreamers as a Political Football by Signing Meaningless Drivers’ License Bill
Undocumented immigrant youth express their profound disappointment with Governor Brown’s decision to veto the Trust Act, AB1081 and instead sign Cedillo’s symbolic Drivers’ License bill, AB 2189. Governor Brown’s actions demonstrate that protecting immigrants in this state is not his priority. In a time when our state should focus on passing bills that protect immigrant communities from unfair deportations and expand their rights, the Governor has chosen to instead use Dreamers as Political Football and deliver a hollow Drivers’ License Bill to the immigrant community.
Martha Melendrez, a national undocumented immigrant youth leader and organizer with Dream Team Los Angeles states “we are extremely disappointed at Governor Brown’s action of signing a meaningless Drivers’ License bill for Dreamers in California. AB 2189 not only distracts us from getting sound and humane policy in California done, but it sets a troubling precedent for the rest of the nation. Today, we will have to answer to Dreamers across the country who would otherwise qualify for Driver’s Licenses in their state by obtaining Deferred Action, but may be under the belief that in order to be eligible for such benefit their state must first pass a law”.
Jorge Gutierrez, also an organizer and leader with Dream Team Los Angeles states “Governor Brown thinks that he can cover his back by signing Assemblyman Cedillo’s symbolic Drivers’ License bill for Dreamers, but we will not allow politicians to use our name as a pass for making real changes in our communities”.
On a letter sent to Governor Brown on September 13, 2012, signed by all fourteen immigrant youth organizations in California, Dreamers asked him to sign the TRUST ACT AB 1081, and to not to divert his energy by signing a symbolic Drivers’ License bill. Immigrant youth leaders across California are available for interviews and reactions.
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Dream Team Los Angeles (DTLA) is an autonomous group in Los Angeles made up of students and community members and led by undocumented students who are undocumented and unafraid. DTLA has been organizing locally and nationally for the empowerment and right to legalization of undocumented youth.
For a downloadable copy of this press release, click here.