Speech #1090119615

This costs our farmers and our entire State economy. Already. many farmers have told me that the 2005 season was the worst season they have had in trying to get the employees they needed. It is estimated that 700.000 undocumented workers are living in Washington State. That means Washington State has the highest per capita concentration of undocumented workers of any State in the Nation. We know how important laborers are for our economy. Washington State public schools and universities are also impacted by our Nations immigration policies. I hope we can all agree the children of immigrants deserve a decent education which builds our communities and our economy. For years. I have worked to increase educational opportunities for all students living in this country. I am a proud supporter of the Dream Act. which helps make higher education more accessible to the children of immigrants. I have been proud to celebrate with young students through the Latino Educational Achievement Project and other organizations in my home State of Washington that break down barriers to education. Our educational policies have to ensure that immigrants and the children of immigrants are not denied the opportunity to share in the American dream. Housing is another area that is connected to our immigration policy. Many communities in Washington State are struggling with the lack of affordable housing. That can mean families are trapped living in unsafe or substandard housing.