Description
Every individual has a right to obtain Higher Education, though many believe that such rights should only be given to legal citizens in United States. The DREAM Act came into existence through the legislative proposal introduced to the senate in the year 2010. This would enable current, former and future undocumented high school graduates to get United States citizenship through two options: College or joining military.
The DREAM Act proposes higher education rights for undocumented students and presses concern on certain human rights to be free from discrimination on basis of national origin. Asses for legal basis on these rights at the international United States domestic level gives a focus that is regularly overshadowed by political elements of the debate over undocumented students and public schools of America.
DREAM Act poses a lot of opportunities economically as well as giving many undocumented students a chance to become citizens in the United States. Economically, the DREAM Act promises millions of dollars in tax revenue, jobs and potential generation of doctors, researchers, teachers and entrepreneurs. The Democrats and the Republicans developed regulations and rules allowing students who grew up in U.S a large opportunity to offer various contributions to the country and their safety as well through recruiting them in armed forces of United States or giving them opportunities to go for higher education and thus named it DREAM Act. This is the reason as to why the legislation has enjoyed for long dual partisan support. The legislation is a lengthy and tiresome process because it is only limited to few individuals and only targets the best and brightest young people or those brought to the United States as minors through fault of their parents and have no any other place to get their legal status. The DREAM Act gives brighter students an opportunity to work and establish themselves in well recognized industrious organizations after completion of their studies. The Act also is a means of motivating the students in their school work.
Where did it come from?
The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors abbreviated as DREAM Act is a legislative proposal first introduced to the senate in 107th congress in 2001. Between 2002 and 2006 the republican took control of the congress due to their big opposition in the legislative, the bill was turned down despite everything. In 2007, when the Democratic party took control the bill was once again introduced to the congress by Sen. Richard Durban and was rejected again. The latest the bill was introduced in December 2010 when the DREAM Act was brought in and passed in the House by a vote of 216-1989. The bill reached the Senate on 18, 2010 getting 55 yes and 41 nays.
The DREAM Act came up when the United States congress enacted a bill which would provide young men and women to obtain conditional permanent residency. The bill had guidelines in which an individual had to meet in order to qualify for permanent residency. They put two options under the DREAM Act guidelines of which an individual would be allowed to apply for full citizenship in the United State, these were; attend college or enlist in the United State military.
Illegal aliens of good moral character having graduated from United States high school, who came to United State as minors and had lived in the country continually for at least five years prior to bill enactment would be provided permanent residency. Supposing they were to complete two years at a four year institution of higher learning or two year in military they would get temporary residency for a period of six years. They also acquired opportunities to become permanent dwellers if they received higher education degree from a recognized in the United States within a period of 6 years. They must have also received an honorable discharge.
The military in U.S cannot accept to enlist any illegal immigrants; enlistment of the military requires a period of eight years commitment and dynamic duties. Illegal immigrants or alien’s found to have been living in the United States without legal procedures would have their residence terminated and returned to immigration status. The bill would have also added illegal aliens who are as old as thirty five years in age. There was DREAM Act brought in on November 2012 by the twelve states in their own version to deal with the financial assistance for the state universities and deal with the tuition prices. The Maryland DREAM Act having won with 59% of the total votes in November 6, 2012 was therefore approved. The states that came together are California, Utah, Kansas, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Texas, Maryland, New York, and Texas.
Importance
- The promise from the DREAM Act to give rise in the United States to the highly qualified recruits
It is essential for them to assist the military in shaping and maintaining a strategy ready for all the forces of volunteers under the strategic plan of 2012 for the office of defense department of the Under Secretary for Readiness and Personnel.
David S. Chu Bush Administrator Under Secretary, Personnel and Readiness, Department of Defense claimed that so many young individuals would be longing to join the military and contain the required qualities, education and proper moral qualification. Most of them are High School Diploma Graduates, and posses fluent language skills both English and their native language. With such opportunities being provided it will help the young people to serve the United States in uniform.
- DREAM Act is a great turn out for money already invested and a good preparation for the country Global economy.
In today’s world global economy requires well skilled and educated personnel capable of establishing new knowledge, acquiring distributing knowledge. Through the passage of DREAM Act a group of talented multicultural workers will help America in competing with different innovators across the world.
The Americans deserve a return on their investment for the students who have benefited under the DREAM Act.
It is important to come up with policies that would help talented students get access to post secondary educational opportunities and the workforce as the legal resident, this came after the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that many of the positions that will be on demand in the years to come will mostly rely on education of the workers. Out of the 15 occupations expected to grow at least as fast as the national average which is 13%, 10 of total require an associate accompanying degree.
Most of the leading businesses in the United States like Microsoft have supported the DREAM Act since they got to know and understand that the broken immigration system is taking away the resources and talents required to build the global economy.
DREAM Act will give rise to revenue in the communities.
Allowing like for example 500,000 immigrant students opportunity to higher education will lead to inspiration to other immigrant youths to attempt for further education. In this case it will be of help in boosting the sum of skilled American raised workforces. They will add to long term revenues to the local, state and the federal government as they take their duties in their working places and taxpaying.
According to the February 2011 Impre Media-Latino Decision tracking poll found out a stronger proof that the DREAM Act and the immigration in overall continue to be the highest on the Latino agenda. Forty seven percent of the Latino registered voters pointed out that immigration was the most current and important issue facing the Latino community while 85% said they supported the DREAM Act. Economy in general is an issue of concern to the Latinos, though the DREAM Act vote is a past issue; which could still be a huge threat in 2011-2012.
Through the impreMedia Decision tracking poll, there is some evidence that lack of progress on immigration may be a very hurting opinion to both the Democrats and the Republicans. Voters were asked to carry out the research on how good or bad of a job everyone was doing in the outreach to the Latino voters. The Democrats outreach were likely to state that immigration was the number one priority, among those who cited out that the Democrat Party was doing a good job to reach the Latino showed immigration as their highest concern for the lawmakers to work on.
- The passage of DREAM Act would enable more students to attend college and decrease the number of high school dropout.
Immigration status on higher education leads to a higher than average high school dropout rate, which cost tax payers and the economy billion of dollars every year. The DREAM Act would get rid of these barriers for quite a number of students, and the DREAM Act’s high school graduation requirement would be a very powerful incentive for students who might for any reason want to drop out. Foreign born students represent a growing and important percentage of the current student population.
- The DREAM Act is supported by 70% of likely voters, the military, business, leaders in education and religious orders.
According to a research conducted by Opinion Research Corporation for the First Focus in June 2010 on national poll of 1,008 adults, indicated that the cut across regional and party lines with 80% support from the Democrats and 60% from the Republicans. The educational associates and the University president, as well as business leaders, religious leaders and the military have called on a congress to pass the DREAM Act.
Conclusion
In summary, the DREAM Act would allow illegal minors in the United States to give evidence that they migrated to the country before they attained the age of 16 years and have been in the United States for at least five consecutive years. After a full background check of the student and confirmation that they possess a good moral character, they be allowed in state tuition and their path to citizenship shortened after a higher degree or two years of military service.
There are some opponents who claim that DREAM Act can reward illegal malpractices and encourages more illegal immigration to the United States. The individuals who drafted the act discovered that it would turn out easily instead of the option of higher education.
It is estimated that 65,000 undocumented students graduate from United States high school every year. The American school system guarantees that the children can get an education through to the twelfth grade, after which the undocumented students cannot progress to college. They are deprived of this right since of their illegal position ignoring the reality that most of the students have lived in the United States for most their lives.
The college board of United States claims that in certain economic terms which are found to be stricter, the contribution likely to be distributed by the students of DREAM Act would provide small investments in addition and this would be in their studies far beyond high school. Therefore it would be important to legalize and educate these students due to intangible benefits of legalization. Generally if the DREAM Act is passed and enacted punishment of children who went illegally to the United States (Though not through their fault) would be banned. The most of reasons that these children find themselves in United States is due to speak English better than other languages, they went to United States when they were young or they lack any other place to go. DREAM Act has a chance of impacting positive changes to thousands of children who are undocumented in United States.
References
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Carrasco, S. (2006). The D.R.E.A.M. Act, is it Just a Dream?: Latino Challenges in Public Policy. San Francisco : San Francisco State University.
Chavez, L. (2013). The Latino Threat: Constructing Immigrants, Citizens, and the Nation, Second Edition. New York: Stanford University Press.
Cypress College. (2007, N.D.). DREAM Act. Retrieved April 4, 2013, from Cypresscollege.com: http://www.cypresscollege.edu/admissions/financialAid/dreamact.aspx
Kim, E., & Diaz, J. (2013). Immigrant Students and Higher Education: ASHE Higher Education Report 38:6. Chicago: John Wiley & Sons.
Mayorga, E., Picower, B., & Rader, S. (2008). Camouflaged. New York: Lulu.com.
Perez, W. (2009). We are Americans:Undocumented Students Pursuing the American Dream. New York: Stylus Publishing, LLC.
The DREAM Act. (2012, N.D). The DREAM Act. Retrieved April 4, 2013, from The DREAM Act: http://dreamact.info/
Wepman, D. (2008). Immigration. Chicago: Infobase Publishing.
Whitehouse. (2013). THE DREAM ACT: GOOD FOR OUR EC. Retrieved April 4, 2013, from whitehouse.gov: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/DREAM-Act-WhiteHouse-FactSheet.pdf
