The DREAM Act

About half a million children are born to undocumented immigrants every year. These children are not given the opportunities that they so rightly deserve. They spend their entire lives in the United States and are considered illegal immigrants. They are given no choice, but to live their life as an undocumented immigrant. That is what the DREAM Act is trying to solve. The DREAM Act, or Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors is a proposal that would provide permanent residency to undocumented immigrants who meet certain eligibility requirements (The DREAM Act). If the DREAM Act is approved, then the education will be improved. It will improve the economy, the military will receive a significant increase in recruitments, and

"Supporting undocumented students in their pursuit of college, career and citizenship." Deferred Action for Childhood A

The Dream Act, the Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act is a bipartisan legislation pioneered by Sen. Orin Hatch [R-UT] and Sen. Richard Durbin [D-IL].The undocumented students will granted a conditional legal status. Within the 6 years the student must be able to obtain a degree from a four year university. After the 6 years passes the conditional status becomes a legal American citizen. The following is the detailed qualification process obtained from the official web site of the dream act:

Through amnesty policies such as the DREAM act, illegal immigrants will have more access to a better education. This act will allow “students who have been living in the U.S. since they were young, a chance to contribute back to the country that has given so much to them and a chance to utilize their hard earned education and talents,” (Basic Information about the DREAM Act

Since early in the 17th century, immigrants from different places on over the world have come to America to seek for freedom and opportunities. They have contributed in a large portion of the United States’ economy as well as culture. As a result, the impacts on American communities have turned into arguable issues, and one of them comes from educational field, the DREAM Act. In a simple way, DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) is a program that offers permanent legal status to illegal immigrants up to age 35 who arrived in the United States before age 16, resided in the U.S. for at least five years, graduated from high school and completed two years of college or honorable military service. Standing on both sides to consider the its influences, the questions of either The DREAM Act has a positive or negative effect on America’s college and whether or not it should be passed are still vague between controversial opinions.

Senate Bill 1291, The Development, Relief & Education for Alien Minors Act or DREAM Act, was originally introduced on August 1, 2001, by Senator Orrin Hatch [R-UT] and Richard Durbin [D-IL]. Senator Hatch explained that the purpose of the bill was to “allow children who have been brought to the United States through no volition of their own the opportunity to fulfill their dreams, to secure a college degree and legal status” (Cong. Rec. S8581).

Although the Dream Act seems to be an easy first step for young Latino immigrants in achieving the "American Dream", but the policy itself contains many internal flaws that cannot be disregarded. The Dream Act is not enacted for several reasons. One, by granting financial aid to undocumented students would violated the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) of 1996, which mandates that, "unauthorized aliens shall not be eligible on the basis of residence within a state (or a political subdivision) for any postsecondary education benefit unless a citizen or national of the United States is eligible for such benefit...without regard to whether the citizen or national is such a resident" (Ruge et al., 2004, p. 262). Second, "good moral characters" is a vague phrase that cannot be measured as to how each person identifies "good moral characters"(Munoz, 2009, p. 8). Lastly, opponents of the dream act argued that the enactment of this policy would interfere with the benefits and interests

When granted citizenship, illegal immigrant students would have a better education in the U.S. The DREAM act is also known

Since the beginning of time, many immigrants facilitate illegal passages through deserts, mountains, and sometimes trucks to illegally enter into the United States to afford an opportunity to escape oppressive circumstances. More often than none most illegal immigrants make this journey with their children in tow. The Development, Relief, and Education Act for Alien Minors also known as The Dream Act was drafted, introduced, reintroduced and eventually brought back to light on June 15, 2012. The act is to be reformed by President Barack Obama to afford young undocumented alien minors an opportunity to gain citizenship by contributing to our country through armed services or higher education. Even though this bill was originally proposed by both Democratic and Republican representatives, the Republican Party has serious objections to The Dream Act reform and its long term effects. Republicans call attention to problems that would arise if we encourage and reward illegal immigration. One thing all parties can agree on is that the regulation within the reform needs to be addressed. The most talked about topic is the cost and how it will increase the deficit of the Congressional Budget. Notably, this act represents and embodies what America is founded on and should extend to immigrants since America is the epitome of a melting pot. Immigrants deserve a path to citizenship without opposition and continuous questioning of basic human

To sum up, the Dream Act actually can help a lot of undocumented immigrants in their life or help them to achieve their dream. But it failed to become a law because not many people support this act. So the smart, hard-working children need to face an uncertain future because they cannot continue their education, work, or join the military. They can just live in the dark side and turn away from the light, it is so pitiful. Also, America is missing out a lot of talented workers, vital tax revenues and other economic contributions. So why not let the Dream Act become the law to help the undocumented immigrants.

On the other hand, I also believe that the DREAM Act movement also has its own reasons for an immigrant to be out as undocumented in the US, aside from visibility purposes and opening up a community to form a collective identity for the movement. According to Liana Gamber-Thompson & Arely M. Zimmerman “‘being in the shadows’ is worse than being a public activist because, if he were ever deported his entire network of activists and allies would know (202). Also, according to Zimmerman, he has noted that “coming out narratives have been employed well beyond LGBTQ movements, which members of the fat acceptance and disability rights movement also embracing the concept” (197). Zimmerman’s observation signifies that the intersectionality that exists

In an effort to help the general public in America better understand President Barrack Obama’s amnesty proposal, Senator Jeff Sessions break it down in an article. According to Sessions, the full name of the proposal is Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, or more widely known as DREAM Act. This act grants amnesty

This policy proposal will allow students who have graduated from high school to apply for legal status and citizenship once they receive their diploma and pass their citizenship requirements. This plan will supersede the DREAM ACT proposal since the avenue for citizenship will applicable before attending trade school or college. The bill is only valid to student that are currently in our country and not available for those entering at a later date,

“President Obama and the Democrats fought for the DREAM Act, legislation ensuring that young people who want to contribute fully to our society and serve our country are able to become legal residents and ultimately citizens” (2012 Democratic Party Platform, 2012). With Democratic immigration reform bills continuously being blocked by Republicans in congress, President Obama decided to exercise executive action on immigration in November of this year. This executive action will grant temporary legal status to millions of illegal immigrants (Ehrenfreund,

Barack Obama wanted the young illegal immigrants to not be deported, but to stay live among everybody else in their home, America. Barack Obama was the 44th President of the United States, his time in office was from 2008-2017 representing the Democratic Party. Barack Obama did not want to deport every undocumented person in America as talked about in the article, “Dreamers and Their Families” about how the Obama Administration wanted to stop the deportation of young undocumented children and to provide them with a window of opportunity. This is important because Barack Obama is looking out for the wellbeing of young illegal immigrants. This idea would manifest into the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors or in short DREAM Act (Dreamers and Their Families). Barack Obama’s Administration wanted to create a chance for these young undocumented children to provide them an opportunity not to kick them out of the country. The goal of the DREAM Act is two things “eliminate federal provisions that penalize states for granting undocumented students in-state tuition . . . and provide qualified undocumented individuals a path toward conditional permanent residency” (Dreamers and Their Families). The meaning behind this act is to let these children have access to higher education as they most likely can not afford the education and to begin the process of them becoming a citizen of The United States of America. Undocumented immigrants can go to colleges as there is no