Just about everyone agrees that the United States needs comprehensive immigration reform.
Opinions vary widely on exactly what direction such reform should take.
My experience here in East Dallas tells me that we need to find a ways to allow law abiding Mexican nationals to remain in the country, especially those who have been here for a long time. In my opinion we need a durable guest worker program that allows people to come and go for work.
One creative and important piece of legislation that has been floating back and forth in the Congress for several years is the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, popularly known as the DREAM Act.
The bipartisan legislation, co-sponsored in the Senate by Richard Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and Richard Lugar (R-IN) and in the House by Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Howard Berman (D-CA), and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), addresses the situation faced by young people who were brought to the U.S. years ago as undocumented immigrant children, but who have since grown up in the country, stayed in school, and kept out of trouble.
The provisions of this legislation speak directly to the situation facing my good friend, Monica (see my posts here on March 11 and 13, 2007).
To qualify for immigration relief under the DREAM Act, a student must have been brought to the U.S. more than 5 years ago when he or she was 15-years-old or younger and must be able to demonstrate good moral character.
Under the DREAM Act, once such a student graduates from high school, he or she would be permitted to apply for conditional status, which would authorize up to 6 years of legal residence. During the 6-year period, the student would be required to graduate from a 2-year college, complete at least 2 years towards a 4-year degree, or serve in the U.S. military for at least 2 years.
Permanent residence would be granted at the end of the 6-year period, if the student has met these requirements and has continued to maintain good moral character.
The DREAM Act would also eliminate a federal provision that discourages states from providing in-state tuition to their undocumented immigrant student residents, thus restoring full authority to the states to determine state college and university fees.
Why the DREAM Act?
Each year about 65,000 U.S.–raised students who would qualify for the DREAM Act’s benefits graduate from high school. These include honor roll students, star athletes, talented artists, homecoming queens, and aspiring teachers, doctors, and U.S. soldiers. They are young people who have lived in the U.S. for most of their lives and desire only to call this country their home.
Even though they were brought to the U.S. years ago as children, they face unique barriers to higher education, are unable to work legally in the U.S., and often live in constant fear of detection by immigration authorities.
U. S. immigration law currently has no provision for considering the special circumstances of this group of students. The DREAM Act would eliminate this flaw.
No one can predict when the current contentious congressional debate about immigration will be resolved. Some predict that nothing will get through Congress until after the 2008 elections.
Young people like Monica should not be made to wait for the entire debate to be resolved.
Brought to the U. S. by their parents when they were just children, these young people should be removed from the debate. Those desiring to complete their education, serve this nation and become legal residents should be able to do so.
If Congress fails to act this year, another entire class of outstanding, law-abiding high school students will graduate without being able to plan for the future. Some will be removed from their homes to countries they barely know.
In the process the U. S. will lose a vital asset: an educated class of promising immigrant students who have demonstrated a commitment to hard work and a strong desire to be contributing members of our society.
Support for the DREAM Act has grown each year since its introduction in 2001 during the 107th Congress. As of February 2007, the bill has garnered support from 48 Senate co-sponsors and more than 152 Republican and Democratic House co-sponsors. It has twice passed the Senate Judiciary Committee in bipartisan fashion, by a 16-3 vote in the 2003–2004 108th Congress, and again in 2006 by a voice vote without dissent, as an amendment to the comprehensive immigration reform bill.
In May 2006, the DREAM Act passed the full Senate as part of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 (S. 2611).
It very likely also would have passed the House if brought up for a vote last year, but, unfortunately, the House leadership could not be persuaded to bring it up.
Most observers believe that the DREAM Act has a better chance of enactment this year than it has ever had. It continues to attract bipartisan support and now for the first time also enjoys the strong backing of the House and Senate leadership and all of the relevant committee chairs.
If you agree with the principles of the DREAM Act, contract your two U. S. Senators and your U. S. Representatives and urge their support for the passage of this important piece of reform legislation now.
As you consider taking action, remember Monica and millions of young people just like her.
Opinions vary widely on exactly what direction such reform should take.
My experience here in East Dallas tells me that we need to find a ways to allow law abiding Mexican nationals to remain in the country, especially those who have been here for a long time. In my opinion we need a durable guest worker program that allows people to come and go for work.
One creative and important piece of legislation that has been floating back and forth in the Congress for several years is the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, popularly known as the DREAM Act.
The bipartisan legislation, co-sponsored in the Senate by Richard Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and Richard Lugar (R-IN) and in the House by Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Howard Berman (D-CA), and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), addresses the situation faced by young people who were brought to the U.S. years ago as undocumented immigrant children, but who have since grown up in the country, stayed in school, and kept out of trouble.
The provisions of this legislation speak directly to the situation facing my good friend, Monica (see my posts here on March 11 and 13, 2007).
To qualify for immigration relief under the DREAM Act, a student must have been brought to the U.S. more than 5 years ago when he or she was 15-years-old or younger and must be able to demonstrate good moral character.
Under the DREAM Act, once such a student graduates from high school, he or she would be permitted to apply for conditional status, which would authorize up to 6 years of legal residence. During the 6-year period, the student would be required to graduate from a 2-year college, complete at least 2 years towards a 4-year degree, or serve in the U.S. military for at least 2 years.
Permanent residence would be granted at the end of the 6-year period, if the student has met these requirements and has continued to maintain good moral character.
The DREAM Act would also eliminate a federal provision that discourages states from providing in-state tuition to their undocumented immigrant student residents, thus restoring full authority to the states to determine state college and university fees.
Why the DREAM Act?
Each year about 65,000 U.S.–raised students who would qualify for the DREAM Act’s benefits graduate from high school. These include honor roll students, star athletes, talented artists, homecoming queens, and aspiring teachers, doctors, and U.S. soldiers. They are young people who have lived in the U.S. for most of their lives and desire only to call this country their home.
Even though they were brought to the U.S. years ago as children, they face unique barriers to higher education, are unable to work legally in the U.S., and often live in constant fear of detection by immigration authorities.
U. S. immigration law currently has no provision for considering the special circumstances of this group of students. The DREAM Act would eliminate this flaw.
No one can predict when the current contentious congressional debate about immigration will be resolved. Some predict that nothing will get through Congress until after the 2008 elections.
Young people like Monica should not be made to wait for the entire debate to be resolved.
Brought to the U. S. by their parents when they were just children, these young people should be removed from the debate. Those desiring to complete their education, serve this nation and become legal residents should be able to do so.
If Congress fails to act this year, another entire class of outstanding, law-abiding high school students will graduate without being able to plan for the future. Some will be removed from their homes to countries they barely know.
In the process the U. S. will lose a vital asset: an educated class of promising immigrant students who have demonstrated a commitment to hard work and a strong desire to be contributing members of our society.
Support for the DREAM Act has grown each year since its introduction in 2001 during the 107th Congress. As of February 2007, the bill has garnered support from 48 Senate co-sponsors and more than 152 Republican and Democratic House co-sponsors. It has twice passed the Senate Judiciary Committee in bipartisan fashion, by a 16-3 vote in the 2003–2004 108th Congress, and again in 2006 by a voice vote without dissent, as an amendment to the comprehensive immigration reform bill.
In May 2006, the DREAM Act passed the full Senate as part of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 (S. 2611).
It very likely also would have passed the House if brought up for a vote last year, but, unfortunately, the House leadership could not be persuaded to bring it up.
Most observers believe that the DREAM Act has a better chance of enactment this year than it has ever had. It continues to attract bipartisan support and now for the first time also enjoys the strong backing of the House and Senate leadership and all of the relevant committee chairs.
If you agree with the principles of the DREAM Act, contract your two U. S. Senators and your U. S. Representatives and urge their support for the passage of this important piece of reform legislation now.
As you consider taking action, remember Monica and millions of young people just like her.
13 comments:
Thanks for sharing this piece. I hadn't heard of DREAM yet. It's good to know there are people on both sides of the aisle who are trying to come up with real solutions for immigration.
Also, thanks for your previous posts about Seattle. I hope you can continue to share more about this city and it's different attitude of approach to issues of homelessness and poverty.
Well written article, and a sound argument for a highly debated piece of legislation.
Two questions:
1. How does the bill define "maintain good moral character"?
2. Where do you find the time for this blog?
Anonymous, thanks for the post.
The bill leaves the definition open, but implies that there would be no criminal activity and that the person would be pursuing education or military service.
As the blog, it is actually like my personal "mind dump" diary. It is really therapeutic for me. I read a good bit around the issues relating to the work I do. Most of my posts come from what I am thinking, reading and learning. Occassionally I throw in something unrelated, but important to me. It doesn't take that long really since I am dealing with ideas and material I'd be working with anyway. It is also my feeble attempt to advocate for a different way to relate to one another in this city and nation across class lines--something that is very important to me and, I believe, to our civic life and health.
Thanks for the reply. I ask, because I am trying to find time to start a similar blog based on what I see going on around me (I work for a nonprofit in D.C.). I struggle just to stay well read on all the topics, let alone process them all while trying not to totally neglect my family or work.
Thanks for all that you do.
Larry, this was an informative article for me. It offered an aspect of illegal immigration that the media has chosen to ignore. If I had not read your article, I would have continued to assume that those high school students were granted the same funding citizen students were receiving. After all, punishing the child seems to defeat the purpose of lowering the numbers of illegals in the U.S.
I believe legislation such as the DREAM is taking a step in the right direction to doing "right" for the children of Americans. Don't we always preach higher education anyway?
Thank you for sharing this information! You have encouraged me by letting me know that this act has been created and could possibly be set in place soon. This is only one aspect of immigration issues, but it is a very important one. I have written both of our Senators, as they are both highly opinionated on immigration policies. If they will support this, they will have a lot of impact. This DREAM Act and the urgency of it for these students brings to mind MLK Jr.’s Why We Can’t Wait. It is time.
DREAM should be passed without hesitation. Children should not be penalized for a decision that was made by their parents. Hopefully someone will present a workable solution to the immigration problem in the near future. For now, we need to protect the children who have been brought to this country and find it to be the only home they know. They should have the opportunity to make a life for themselves in the U.S.
kmdzams
I wholeheartedly agree that children should not be punished because someone thinks their parents did something wrong.
I also think that we are wasting a valuable resource when we educate these children, they do well, they are a promise of what could be, and then we throw away the promise they hold.
We have spent our public funds to educate them. Let's reap the benefits and allow them to become productive citizens (or at least productive legal residents).
Eva
thanks for the info. i support the dream act because students who work really hard in school should get the opportunity to continue their studies. the senators should really see that many "alien" students are only finishing high school because of their illegal status and is not fair to take their education away. many students want to pursuade a career and should be given the opportunity even with the conditions the dream act gives. Support the DREAM ACT and also AB540 students!!!!!!!
No Amnesty!!!!!!!
It would be unfair to legal immigrant families who spent large amounts of time and money to immigrate legally with their families, while those who immigrated illegally will be able to hold the same rights without having gone through the correct procedures set forth and followed by these legal immigrant and does nothing to punish the parents who initially immigrated illegally.
The bill does little to fix the problem it addresses, while giving legality to nearly 55,000 undocumented children per year and former illegal children who are now eligible adults. It would not solve the problem for children who have not yet reached these requirements but would do so soon after the bill is signed (as one can only be eligible if one has met the requirements on the day that the bill is signed).
Well it seems the "dream" has failed again!! Such a shame is it not? You should know by now the American people as a whole are entirely against any form of Amnesty even for yes the poor little anchor babies. The illegal lobby has done this to themselves with your ceaseless and senseless demands for "rights". You have none and you know it. Your "house" is built on sand and it is falling. Such a shame!
I agree with Av8tr10 it is a travesty that such groups as La Raza and La MecHa have so vehemently demanded so much from the American people. I was very neutral about the "immigration problem" until i saw the demonstrations and the demands of the "poor immigrant". That more than anything has turned the tide against you and it is a rising tide one these so called "reform groups" will not withstand. Dont blame the American people blame yourselves.
than you so much and it's so wonderful to read things in favor of the DREAM Act
It is articles like this that gives the hope and the drive to never give up
I pray that this bill passes giving me the oppotunity to fulfilmy my dream of becoming a nurse.
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