Immigration Task Force
Doris Haims chairs the Immigration Task Force for AJC Los Angeles. For more information, please contact Hanna Dershowitz, Assistant Director, Public Policy, Since its founding in 1906, AJC has advocated for policies that promote fair and generous treatment of immigrants and bolster our national security, both of which are fundamentally good for the United States and consistent with Jewish values. According to Jewish tradition, “strangers” are to be welcomed and valued, as we were once “strangers in the land of Egypt.” Click HERE to find out more about why we engage on immigration reform.
In October 2011, the California Dream Act (Assembly Bill 131) was signed by Governor Brown. The new law, introduced by Assemblymember Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles), will allow access to public financial assistance for qualified undocumented immigrant students. A companion bill giving these students the opportunity to qualify for private assistance was signed during the summer. AJC supported both bills. AJC believes that these young people who are succeeding in our schools should be cultivated as assets rather than penalized. Moreover, studies have found that incorporating undocumented students actually benefits universities financially, and does not decrease opportunities for native-born students. The 10 states that have passed laws allowing undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition have not experienced a large influx of new immigrant students displacing native-born students. These states (Texas, California, Utah, Washington, New York, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kansas, New Mexico, and Nebraska) are home to about half of the nation’s undocumented immigrants. In fact, these laws actually tend to increase school revenues as students who would not normally attend college start to pay tuition. AJC has been a longtime supporter of the federal DREAM (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors) Act, which offers a chance for citizenship to students who:
AJC will continue to fight for passage of the federal DREAM Act. A path to citizenship paves the way for this hard-working population to contribute to our economy, with contributions estimated in the trillions nationally, according to a UCLA study. 2011 Fiesta Sukkot Festival
The topic was immigration reform as more than 500 members of the Jewish and Latino communities attended AJC’s 5th Annual Fiesta Sukkot at Sinai Temple. The program was devoted to establishing a case for comprehensive immigration reform. Professor Hirsoshi Motomura of UCLA offered a historical background and analysis of immigration within the United States. Graduating LMU student Yara Hidalgo shared her personal narrative on her struggles as an undocumented student. The keynote address was given by Assemblyman Gil Cedillo, the author of the California DREAM Act, who encouraged the diverse audience to be persistent with their advocacy efforts.
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