St. Thomas University Gathers Media and Supporters to Act on the Dream Act

MIAMI, Nov. 30, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- It was standing room at the St. Thomas University campus in Miami today as Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski joined STU President, Monsignor Franklyn M. Casale, St. Thomas' Human Rights Institute Director Christine Reis, immigration advocates, community leaders, faculty and students in a press conference and student rally in favor of the Dream Act.

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Monsignor Casale initiated the press conference introducing three student panelists who represent what the Dream Act is all about: Miyen Spinelli, the STU student who was recently granted a stay of deportation, Diego Sanchez, treasurer of the St. Thomas Student Government Association and past core leader of Students Working for Equal Rights and Felipe Matos, a former core leader of Students Working for Equal Rights and participant in the Trail of Dreams.

As the President recounted "Friday evening, November 19th, one of our students, a member of the men's soccer team, was driving independently from the team to Maine for the qualifying round of the soccer national championships. He was stopped and detained by the United States Border Patrol for not having documentation for his legal presence in the United States."

"I made the decision that the University would assist the student in whatever way possible in an attempt to secure his release and return to Miami. We sent one of our attorneys, Jennifer Volmar, from the St. Thomas University Human Rights Institute to Portland, Maine, where the student was ultimately detained. Christine Reis, director of our Human Rights Institute, communicated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel in Maine to file papers for both deferred action and a stay of deportation, with the help of Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. Our student, Miyen Spinelli was detained through Thanksgiving Day.  A stay of deportation was granted him on Friday, November 26th. He returned to Miami and is with us now at this news conference."

"The university and our students, especially members of SWER (Students Working for Equal Rights), have long been involved in organizations and efforts to have the Dream Act passed. The Dream Act awards legal immigration status to students who were brought here as youngsters without proper papers. I personally have supported the Dream Act for many years. I can assure you that most of my colleagues, presidents of the colleges and universities of the United States support the Dream Act as well. For me and St. Thomas University the issue became extremely personal from the day that Miyen was detained. I can tell you the reaction of our community was similar to that of death on campus. There were questions -- Will we see our friend, our student and teammate again before he is deported,  what will he be deported to, what about graduating form college and what about the rest of his life?  Thank God he is with us now."

"Today we ask the members of Congress of both parties to work together to produce an act that will relieve the fears of so many thousands of excellent students in our colleges and universities. Their contribution to the commonweal as educated citizens will support a stronger United States," he added before introducing the Archbishop.

Archbishop Wenski spoke about "the consequences when Congress fails to address the needs of decent, hard working immigrants who live life in a fearful limbo, placing their lives on hold." According to him "Congress now has an opportunity to redeem itself by improving the lives of a small portion of the affected population… the kids." The Archbishop, a long-standing national leader in social justice issues, refugees and immigrant rights mentioned the Pedro Pan generation of Cuban children whose parents took the painful decision to send them to Miami in the 1960s freedom flights so that they could get an unbiased education and pursue a future in a free land. "Senators need to act and pass the Dream Act," he added, pointing out that not just the qualified students would benefit but all American society would benefit as in the case of many Pedro Pan children successful lives. He reminisced about the times when he was just a parish priest who experienced the plight of Cuban and Haitian refugees and the waste of human talent and potential. "When observing immigrant students you realize they eat like Americans, study like Americans, think like Americans."

Director Christine Reis then covered the basic elements of the Dream Act and the Institute's hard work in getting Miyen back in Miami. Various student activities and Congress petition drives followed outside the library building with members from Florida Immigrant Coalition (FIC) and SWER joining the STU community in an effort to gain more Dream Act supporters and drive the public to action at a time when some members of Congress may have been vulnerable to distortion of legislative facts, labeling the Dream Act as "amnesty." For additional information on St. Thomas University and its Human Rights Institute, please direct inquiries to Marivi Prado, Chief Marketing Officer, [email protected]

SOURCE St. Thomas University