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NALEO Educational Fund Supports Senate Letter to President Obama

WASHINGTON, April 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund issued the following statement regarding a letter sent by several senators requesting that President Obama halt the deportations of young students:

"We applaud the actions of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and 21 of his colleagues asking President Obama to instruct the Department of Homeland Security to stop deporting students eligible for the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. The senators also ask that the Administration establish procedures for DREAM Act students to apply for deferments on deportation orders as early in the process as possible.

"The DREAM Act allows select immigrant students a path to legalization and citizenship if they meet certain requirements, including pursuing a college degree.

"In their letter to President Obama, Sen. Reid and his colleagues stress that these students should not be removed because 'they have great potential to contribute to our country, and children should not be punished for their parents' mistakes.' We wholeheartedly agree.

"The NALEO Educational Fund also urges Congress and the Administration to work toward fixing our broken immigration system and make comprehensive immigration reform a reality."

ABOUT NALEO Educational Fund

The NALEO Educational Fund is the nation's leading non-partisan, non-profit organization that facilitates the full participation of Latinos in the American political process, from citizenship to public service.

Contact: Patricia Guadalupe (202) 546-2536
pguadalupe@naleo.org

SOURCE NALEO Educational Fund