Celebrating immigrants

In 1987 then President Ronald Reagan declared Oct. 28 through a presidential proclamation as National Immigrants Day to coincide with the 101st anniversary of the unveiling of the Statue of Liberty from whose “beacon-hand/Glows world-wide welcome.” The proclamation reads “that welcome is America’s welcome, which has ever beckoned millions upon millions of courageous souls to this land of freedom, justice, and opportunity.”

In Dallas ISD, at least 102 languages are spoken in students’ and team members’ homes, the Translations Services Department provides interpretation for families in 11 of them, and this school year, the district welcomed almost 2,700 students who are new to the country. 

“Our national celebration of Immigrants Day is a moving reminder to us that America is unique among the nations. We are the sons and daughters of every land across the face of the Earth, yet we are an indivisible Nation,” the proclamation reads. “We are one people, and we are one in that which drew our forebears here—the love of freedom’s Holy Light.”