Town hall meeting pushes for passage of DREAM Act

Some Long Island immigrants are renewing their call for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to approve the DREAM Act.

News 12 Staff

Dec 19, 2018, 3:14 AM

Updated 1,947 days ago

Share:

Some Long Island immigrants are renewing their call for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to approve the DREAM Act.
Marcy Suarez, 23, came to the U.S. from Honduras in 2003 with her 4-year-old sister and never looked back.
"It was a very scary experience," she says. "The education over there is so faulty, I had no understanding of how big the world was. Coming to this country was a big shock."
Now, Suarez is a youth organizer for Make the Road NY and is one of the so-called "Dreamers" who helped organize Tuesday's town hall meeting to once again push for the DREAM Act to get passed.
Assemblyman Phil Ramos was part of the panel.
"No matter what anybody feels about a person who decided to cross a border without documents, the child did not take part in that decision," he says. "Under what precedent, under what morality, do we justify punishing a child for something that their parent did?"
Gov. Cuomo said Monday that "we must finally pass the DREAM Act to open the door of education to all our 'Dreamers.'"
Suarez says she may be undocumented, but she can't dream of going back. She says America is her home.
The DREAM Act was first introduced into Congress nearly 18 years ago. Several versions have been introduced over the years, but none have been passed.
U.S. Rep. Peter King says he would oppose the state DREAM Act until there is federal legislation regularizing the status of "Dreamers."


More from News 12
2:04
Health care workers, community hold prayer to call for SUNY Downstate to stay open

Health care workers, community hold prayer to call for SUNY Downstate to stay open

1:47
Brooklyn students present their social justice solutions on varying issues in national competition

Brooklyn students present their social justice solutions on varying issues in national competition

2:08
Early-morning patchy fog, cool and cloudy weather for Friday

Early-morning patchy fog, cool and cloudy weather for Friday

1:51
Vendors rally to demand accessible vendor licenses and permits after DSNY crackdowns

Vendors rally to demand accessible vendor licenses and permits after DSNY crackdowns

2:11
Bronx Zoo celebrates 125 years of bringing joy to New Yorkers

Bronx Zoo celebrates 125 years of bringing joy to New Yorkers

2:05
Police: 2 men wanted for stealing $2,000 from Bay Ridge store at gunpoint

Police: 2 men wanted for stealing $2,000 from Bay Ridge store at gunpoint

1:58
Explore the seasonal flora and fauna unique to Prospect Park in Brooklyn

Explore the seasonal flora and fauna unique to Prospect Park in Brooklyn

0:25
Police: Person of interest in custody following bomb squad investigation in Midwood

Police: Person of interest in custody following bomb squad investigation in Midwood

1:44
Dyker Heights elementary school students send letters and care packages to at-risk military veterans

Dyker Heights elementary school students send letters and care packages to at-risk military veterans

0:24
NYPD: Man walks into East Flatbush hospital, dies from gunshot wounds

NYPD: Man walks into East Flatbush hospital, dies from gunshot wounds

0:23
Man hospitalized following brutal stabbing in Brownsville, police say

Man hospitalized following brutal stabbing in Brownsville, police say

0:23
Spring Arrival: Hummingbirds heading to New York

Spring Arrival: Hummingbirds heading to New York

1:34
NYPD says new campaign has lowered crime citywide; some New Yorkers don’t buy it

NYPD says new campaign has lowered crime citywide; some New Yorkers don’t buy it

2:18
Landlord battling pancreatic cancer fighting to evict squatter

Landlord battling pancreatic cancer fighting to evict squatter

2:10
NYS Federation of Taxi Drivers offer $5,000 reward after string of carjackings and robberies

NYS Federation of Taxi Drivers offer $5,000 reward after string of carjackings and robberies

2:09
Federal civil rights complaint filed against NYC Public Schools Athletic League

Federal civil rights complaint filed against NYC Public Schools Athletic League

1:37
Affordable housing projects coming to Boerum Hill

Affordable housing projects coming to Boerum Hill

1:42
NY Road Runners announce new initiative with NYC Public Schools

NY Road Runners announce new initiative with NYC Public Schools

1:59
Police: Around $62,000 worth of jewelry stolen from 2 Williamsburg stores in separate incidents

Police: Around $62,000 worth of jewelry stolen from 2 Williamsburg stores in separate incidents

Police: Driver arrested in crash that killed 10-year-old girl in Williamsburg

Police: Driver arrested in crash that killed 10-year-old girl in Williamsburg