Congress is preparing to vote on the DREAM Act in the coming days, so we thought it would be good to lay out what it means for our nation. As the public debate on the DREAM Act moves forward, it is vital that the facts on this important legislation remain clear. The Dream Act is good for our economy, our security, and our nation. And the lenghty and rigorous process the DREAM Act establishes will ensure that our nation is enriched with only the most promising young people who have already grown up in America.
Fact: The Dream Act requires responsibility and accountability of young people who apply to adjust their status under the DREAM Act, creating a lenghty and rigorous process. Myth: Opponents claim the DREAM Act would encourage more students to immigrate illegally, and that applicants would just use it to petition for relatives. DREAM Act applicants would not be able to petition for any family member until fulfilling lengthy and rigorous requirements outlined above, and even then, they would have to wait years before being able to successfully petition for parents or siblings..
Editorials and experts around the country are agreeing that the DREAM Act is good for our nation, and have called on Congress to pass it:. Immigrants are fueling this country. Without immigrants America would be like Europe or Japan with an aging population and no young people to come in and take care of it.
We have to educate our immigrants. Congress nee. The measure charts a rigorous path that undocumented youths must negotiate to gain legal status and qualify for citizenship, and supporting it would be both good government and good politics. But the bill targets individuals brought here by their parents as children. What is to be gained by holding otherwise law-abiding young people, who had no say in coming to this country, responsible for the illegal actions of others?
The Dream Act also makes legal status contingent on school achievement and military service, the type of behavior that ought to be encouraged and rewarded. On August 11, , former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee explained to NPR the economic sense of allowing undocumented children to earn their citizenship: "When a kid comes to his country, and he's four years old and he had no choice in it — his parents came illegally.
He still, because he is in this state, it's the state's responsibility - in fact, it is the state's legal mandate - to make sure that child is in school. So let's say that kid goes to school.
That kid is in our school from kindergarten through the 12th grade. On the other hand, DACA only offers "deferred action" that recipients have to renew every two years. Deferred Action is not lawful status itself; instead, it's a government decision not to start removal proceedings commonly called "deportation" against someone.
Deferred Action has a long history in U. DACA fits with this history since it protects young undocumented students and workers from being kicked out of the country they grew up in. Having a green card would also allow Dreamers to apply for lawful immigration status for their family members who are undocumented or have temporary non-immigrant visas like student visas. The Act was first proposed in , and the latest vote was in March The Durbin-Hatch bill would have given lawful status to Dreamers who came to America before turning 16, could pass criminal background checks, and either graduated high school or earned a GED.
It would have made these Dreamers eligible for a "conditional residency" status that would let them live and work in the U. After six years, they could get lawful permanent resident status, better known as a "green card. It has yet to pass.
This effort failed when Congress withdrew the authorization bill because of issues related to the Iraq War timetable. We can't be certain what the future holds or whether Dreamers will ever become U. That bill, called the "American Dream and Promise Act of ," passed the House of Representatives but has not gone up for a Senate vote yet.
The bill proposes to create a three-step pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. First, a Dreamer could apply for something called " conditional permanent residence ," a special status that would grant the Dreamers work authorization and protect them from deportation. Second, any Dreamer with conditional permanent resident status could apply for " lawful permanent residence ," better known as a green card.
Under the act, untrue statements on a DREAM application would result in fines and a possible prison term of five years. Moreover, as part of the application process, U. Citizenship and Immigration Services officers will verify all claims from all applicants and conduct criminal background checks. If an immigrant student has committed a crime—such as marriage fraud—he or she will not be able to prove good moral character, and therefore will not qualify for immigration relief. The ten states that have passed laws allowing in-state tuition would continue to extend in-statue tuition, and the remaining 40 states would have to pass legislation in order to extend in- state tuition to undocumented students.
The DREAM Act gives high performing students—our future teachers, doctors, nurses, military leaders and lawyers—an opportunity to become more educated. The act would allow students to access higher education and the military and increase their contributions to our economy, including increasing their contribution to federal programs, such as Social Security. Furthermore, the DREAM Act is supported by 70 percent of all likely voters, with 60 percent support from Republicans and 80 percent support from Democrats.
The DREAM Act provides for a rigorous application process for deserving youth and does not provide safe harbor or amnesty for criminals. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website.
0コメント