UPDATED WITH LINK TO SLIDESHOW…
Last night's bittersweet mock graduation ceremony for students caught in the horrible, perpetual limbo of being educated, bright and ready to work, but denied the chance to because of their illegal immigration status, was not attended by the congresswoman they once considered their champion and ally (and who has relied heavily on the support of illegal immigrants in her narcissistic-forget-your-roots climb to the top).
About 100 students graduating from UCI, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Long Beach and other universities attended the mock graduation at the Teamsters Local 952 Hall in Orange and expressed their ardent desire to be recognized for their academic accomplishments, like their fellow classmates–and to be allowed to apply for and compete for jobs with them. (Some of them appeared earlier on Gustavo's radio show. Also, see photographer Christopher Victorio's slideshow.) Their pleas have fallen on Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez's deaf ears, despite her outward “support” of a bill that would give these students permanent legal resident status and allow them to apply for financial aid.
Last month the Orange County DREAM team, a collection of undocumented OC college students, sought Sanchez out and asked her to co-sponsor the DREAM Act, a bill that would provide a legal path to citizenship to students like them who have lived in the country illegally for years (usually through no fault of their own, since they were brought as young kids), and have attended middle school, high school, college and even grad school here. Loretta refused to co-sponsor the bipartisan bill but said she would vote in favor of it if it ever reaches the House. The least Loretta could do now is offer these poor grads internships at the U.S. Capitol. Then they could learn a thing or two, first-hand, about political hypocrisy, and what not to do to your most faithful and vulnerable constituents.
CLICK HERE for a slideshow of the graduation.
