We have lost a dear, dear friend.  It has been a week since Senator Ted Kennedy passed away, and much has been written and said about this great man.  My words here will not do his memory and accomplishments justice.  However, I am compelled to pay my respects to this “Lion”, this friend of immigrants.

We have lost a dear, dear friend.  It has been a week since Senator Ted Kennedy passed away, and much has been written and said about this great man.  My words here will not do his memory and accomplishments justice.  However, I am compelled to pay my respects to this “Lion”, this friend of immigrants.

Sen. Kennedy was a driving force behind every single piece of significant immigration legislation for over forty...FORTY years!  His support unwavering, he consistently upheld the patriotic American ideal that we are a nation of immigrants, and immigrants make America strong.

Among other efforts, he supported immigrants' rights with the Immigration Act of 1965 (which allowed increased immigration from Latin America), the Regugee Act of 1980, a statute in 1986 that allowed millions of undocumented to gain legal status, and the Immigration Act of 1990.

Over the past few years, Kennedy teamed with Republican Sen. John McCain to draft comprehensive immigration reform that would have given an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship.  This effort failed during his lifetime, but his mark on possible future legislation remains.

In 2007, he stated “... people have come to this country in search of opportunity. They have sought nothing more than a chance to work hard and bring a better life to themselves and their families. They come to our country with their hearts and minds full of hope.”

So, goodbye old friend.  We will miss you dearly.