Immigration Newsletter – June 2012
Dreaming of DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) – For years I have pinned my hope that Congress would soon pass the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM Act) to help legalize a selective group of minors that have grown up in the United States to become lawful permanent residents. These youth have been in the United States most of their life. Our school systems help them with their education, and some have moved forward with college on their own without the assistance of grants, funding or student loans. After earning a degree (whether high school or college), these youths are facing a daunting task of procuring a job or profession without any proper legal documents / their once promising future and dreams come to an immediate halt without work authorization documents or legal status. I personally believe that these youths are our assets in which we have personally invested in them, but we have failed to capitalize on their talents and potential by not offering them a legal status in our society/ for these reasons, I had high hopes that the DREAM Act would soon be passed. After all, Congress, whether the Republican or Democratic Party, has bilaterally supported the DREAM Act. My hope for Congress to pass the DREAM Act dissipated over the years. The Senate has introduced the DREAM Act almost every year, but it did not go far in the legislation process. The DREAM Act was even incorporated into the comprehensive immigration reform legislation in 2005 and 2007, but the legislation failed. The passing of the DREAM Act would be a dream for these youths, especially given the current stagnate political environment on an election year.