The DREAM Act
Jennifer L. Manning, September 16, 2010
On September 14, 2010, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that he would attach the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act to the Department of Defense authorization bill, which may come before the Senate as early as next week. This bill would allow for undocumented youth to fix their immigration status by putting them on a two year approval wait list. At the end of these two years, if they maintain good citizen behavior, they would get on a path to become U.S. residents by serving this country in the armed services, community service, or going to college.
First introduced in 2001, the DREAM Act would address the plight of young immigrants who have been raised in the U.S. and managed to succeed despite the challenges of being brought to the U.S. without proper documentation. Each year, approximately 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high school, many at the top of their classes, but cannot go to college, join the military, work, or otherwise pursue their dreams. They belong to the 1.5 generation - any (first generation) immigrants brought to the United States at a young age who were largely raised in this country and therefore share much in common with second generation Americans. These students are culturally American, growing up here and often having little attachment to their country of birth. They tend to be bi-cultural and fluent in English.
Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy, Bill Carr, supports the DREAM Act and stated that the law would be "good for readiness" and would help to recruit "cream of the crop" students. The DREAM Act is part of the Department of Defense's 2010-2012 Strategic Plan to assist the military in its recruiting efforts.
For more information, visit:
DREAM Act Coming to the Senate Floor (IPC Press Release, September 15, 2010)
Return to our Immigration News Blog
Our staff speaks Russian and Ukrainian - Мы говорим на русском и украинском языке
