Congress, pass DREAM
by Leah Smith
Columnist
Columnists | 3/9/10
Posted online at 2:16 AM EST on 3/9/10
/ Last updated at 2:07 PM EST on 3/9/10
From the Mexico-U.S. border fence to the arrests of 250 illegal Wal-Mart employees in 2003, illegal immigration has taken center stage in American politics for quite some time. While the government has taken steps to quell the influx of illegal immigrants, the more pressing concern should be what we do with undocumented people who are already here. There are many who feel that a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants is neeeded. However, concerns about what effects the legalization some 16 million people might have on the country have prevented any such legislation from being passed.
The proposal of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act in March 2009 has now directed the spotlight on this issue to college campuses across the nation. If passed by Congress, the act would provide a path to legalization for undocumented students of good "moral character" who have completed a high school degree or GED and at least two years of higher education.
I must admit that when I first read about the act, I thought it was a terrible idea. I've always been on the fence-no pun intended-about legalizing undocumented immigrants. I understand that people are pushed by terrible circumstances to risk their lives and illegally enter the United States. But I've still felt that we shouldn't reward them for breaking the law.
Yet the more I read about DREAM, the more I have become convinced that this might be the best way to resolve the problems of legalization for undocumented immigrants. The difference with the DREAM Act is that it would provide legalization for many students who were brought unknowingly into the country at a young age. If passed, we wouldn't be rewarding those who chose to break the law, but we wouldn't continue to punish those who had little say in the matter, either.
For starters, if the act passed, it would only provide a path to legalization for around four million people, but not all of those eligible would actually achieve legalization. The act provides that an eligible student would be granted conditional status after graduating high school. They would then have to graduate from a two-year community college, complete two years toward a four-year degree or serve two years in the military within six years. It is highly unlikely that all eligible students would achieve one of these requirements in order to gain permanent residence and eventually citizenship.
The proposal of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act in March 2009 has now directed the spotlight on this issue to college campuses across the nation. If passed by Congress, the act would provide a path to legalization for undocumented students of good "moral character" who have completed a high school degree or GED and at least two years of higher education.
I must admit that when I first read about the act, I thought it was a terrible idea. I've always been on the fence-no pun intended-about legalizing undocumented immigrants. I understand that people are pushed by terrible circumstances to risk their lives and illegally enter the United States. But I've still felt that we shouldn't reward them for breaking the law.
Yet the more I read about DREAM, the more I have become convinced that this might be the best way to resolve the problems of legalization for undocumented immigrants. The difference with the DREAM Act is that it would provide legalization for many students who were brought unknowingly into the country at a young age. If passed, we wouldn't be rewarding those who chose to break the law, but we wouldn't continue to punish those who had little say in the matter, either.
For starters, if the act passed, it would only provide a path to legalization for around four million people, but not all of those eligible would actually achieve legalization. The act provides that an eligible student would be granted conditional status after graduating high school. They would then have to graduate from a two-year community college, complete two years toward a four-year degree or serve two years in the military within six years. It is highly unlikely that all eligible students would achieve one of these requirements in order to gain permanent residence and eventually citizenship.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 6
Nathan
posted 3/09/10 @ 12:58 PM EST
Hi! fellow Brandeis Students,
Here is a bit of my story.
I was bought to the US when I was 14 with my mother because she had a fight with my father. (Continued…)
Ann
posted 3/10/10 @ 9:12 AM EST
I am quite sure students given legal US status through the DREAM act would continue to be activist and involved on campus and beyond. . .. . . .active in getting laws passed to legalize their parents who came to the US illegally knowing full well that they were breaking the laws of this country and risking future deportation and separation from their loved ones, although, I might add, they willingly separated themselves from the family members they left in Mexico, but no one mentions that!
These highly educated students should go with their families back to Mexico and use their pricey US education (one wonders how they are financing it now; undoubtedly through US taxpayer largesse)and work to improve their own country, thus avoiding the fear of separation from their families. (Continued…)
Stephen
posted 3/10/10 @ 9:56 PM EST
The DreamAct is nothing but another form of amnesty. Americans will NEVER accept another amnesty. The children of illegal aliens have cost our nation BILLIONS! American kids have suffered due to ESL classes taking vital resources away from our own children. (Continued…)
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